[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21409-21410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08380]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12585; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan Department of 
Transportation, Van Wagoner Building, Lansing, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Michigan Department of Transportation has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined 
that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and a present-day Indian tribe. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects may contact the Michigan Department of Transportation. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come 
forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact the Michigan Department of Transportation at the 
address below by May 10, 2013.

ADDRESSES: James A. Robertson, Staff Archaeologist, Environmental 
Section, Bureau of Highway Development, Michigan Department of 
Transportation, 425 West Ottawa, P.O. Box 30150, Lansing, MI 48909, 
telephone (517) 335-2637.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects in the possession of the Michigan 
Department of Transportation (MDOT). The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Iosco County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Michigan 
Department of Transportation professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills 
Indian Community, Michigan; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's 
Reservation, Montana; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte 
Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du 
Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau 
Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Six 
component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; 
Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille Lacs Band; White Earth 
Band); Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian 
Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
Michigan; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; and the Turtle Mountain

[[Page 21410]]

Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota.
    MDOT also met with the Michigan Anishinaabek Cultural Protection 
and Repatriation Alliance (MACPRA). MACPRA approved a motion to support 
the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan's request for 
repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects. MDOT 
also received a letter from the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of 
the Leech Lake Band supporting the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of 
Michigan's request.

History and Description of the Remains

    In May 2012, human remains representing, at minimum, nine 
individuals were removed by MDOT from site 20IS299 in Oscoda Township, 
Iosco County, MI. No known individuals were identified. The 202 
associated funerary objects include 1 brass kettle lid, 1 trade axe 
with wood handle fragment, 38 earbobs and earbob fragments, 9 brooches 
and brooch fragments, 10 arm/wrist band fragments, 1 metal jewelry 
setting, 1 nail embedded in wood, 130 trade beads, 1 faceted glass 
ornament, 6 white clay pipe fragments, and 4 fragments of woven fabric 
that were associated with a metal brooch.
    Based on the archaeological evidence, MDOT archaeological staff and 
archaeological consultant concluded that the human remains were of 
Native American ancestry and that the human remains and associated 
funerary objects date to the 1820s and 1850s. At the request of MDOT, 
the Michigan State University Forensic Anthropology Laboratory (MSUFAL) 
conducted non-invasive analysis of the human remains. The MSUFAL 
confirmed that the physical anthropological evidence corroborated the 
MDOT assessment. The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan also 
provided MDOT historical evidence documenting their presence during the 
1820s to 1850s in the location where the human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed.

Determinations Made by the Michigan Department of Transportation

    Officials of the Michigan Department of Transportation have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 202 objects 
described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or 
near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of 
the death rite or ceremony.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Saginaw 
Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact James A. Robertson, Staff Archaeologist, 
Environmental Section, Bureau of Highway Development, Michigan 
Department of Transportation, 425 West Ottawa, P.O. Box 30150, Lansing, 
MI 48909, telephone (517) 335-2637 before May 10, 2013. Repatriation of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Saginaw 
Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Michigan Department of Transportation is responsible for 
notifying the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: March 15, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-08380 Filed 4-9-13; 8:45 am]
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