[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44593-44594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17717]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-13404; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Washington State Parks and 
Recreation Commission, Olympia, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has 
completed an inventory of human remains in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request to the Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, 
or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission at the address in this 
notice by August 23, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Alicia Woods, Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission, PO Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 902-
0939, email [email protected].

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 in the 
control of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, 
Olympia, WA, and in the physical custody of the Burke Museum of Natural 
History and Culture, University of Washington (Burke Museum), Seattle, 
WA. The human remains were removed from Sucia Island State Park, San 
Juan County, WA.
    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. 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 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Burke Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Lummi 
Tribe of the Lummi Reservation; Samish Indian Nation (previously listed 
as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); and the Swinomish Indians of 
the Swinomish Reservation of Washington.

History and Description of the Remains

    In August 1960, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by Robert Kidd, a student working under the 
supervision of R. E. Greengo, of the Department of Anthropology, 
University of Washington, during the excavation of site 45-SJ-105 on 
Sucia Island. Kidd does not indicate the discovery of a burial site or 
human remains in his report, but Kidd specifically notes Sucia Island 
as ``historic Lummi territory.'' Staff at the Burke Museum identified 
the remains in unmodified level bags in the collection prior to 1996. 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission believes Kidd 
inadvertently and unknowingly removed these human remains from the 
site. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In July 1971, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed by a park visitor who inadvertently discovered 
a burial on Sucia Island at site 45-SJ-306. The remains were exposed by 
natural erosion. The San Juan County Sheriff's Department sent the 
remains to the Department of Anthropology, University of Idaho, Moscow, 
ID, for identification. Prior to 1993, this collection was released 
back into the custody of Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission. Anthropologists that reviewed the human remains indicated 
there was an extended postmortem interval and the human remains are 
consistent with archaeological material. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Ethnographic and archaeological evidence suggests Native American 
groups, specifically the Lummi people, occupied Sucia Island prior to 
European contact (Amos 1978; McDonald 1990; Stern 1934, Stolpe 1972, 
Suttles 1951, 1954, 1990). The Lummi Tribal Historic Preservation 
Officer confirmed Sucia Island as one among many islands in the San 
Juan archipelago that was occupied by the Lummi people prior to and 
during the early stages of European contact and settlement in the area. 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission staff believes there 
is sufficient evidence Sucia Island was occupied by Native Americans, 
specifically the Lummi people, and has determine there is a 
relationship of shared group identity between the Native American human 
remains and the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation.

Determinations Made by the Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission

    Officials of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of a minimum of three 
individuals of Native American ancestry.
     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 the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Alicia 
Woods, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, PO Box 42650, 
Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 902-0939, email 
[email protected]. After that date, if no additional requestors 
have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to Lummi 
Tribe of the Lummi Reservation may proceed.
    The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is responsible 
for notifying the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation; Samish Indian 
Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); and 
the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish

[[Page 44594]]

Reservation of Washington that this notice has been published.

    Dated: June 27, 2013.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-17717 Filed 7-23-13; 8:45 am]
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