[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23571-23572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09912]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18031;PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC, and the Thomas Burke Memorial 
Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
and the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University of 
Washington (Burke Museum), have completed an inventory of human remains 
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and have determined 
that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects 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 
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the address 
in this notice by May 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Anna Pardo, Museum Program Manager/NAGPRA Coordinator, U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 12220 Sunrise 
Valley Drive, Room 6084, Reston, VA 20191, telephone (703) 390-6343, 
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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the U.S. Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs and in the physical custody of 
the Burke Museum. The human remains and associated funerary objects 
were removed from Clallam 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 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 U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Burke 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation.

History and Description of the Remains

    In September 1963, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from site 45-CA-26 on the Pacific Ocean Beach 
near Neah Bay adjacent to Makah Bay, Clallam County, WA. The site (45-
CA-26) is located within the current boundaries of the Makah Indian 
Reservation. In or about September 1963, Robert E. Greengo of the 
Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum was directed to the site 
by Mrs. Otis Baxter who advised that the wind had been blowing material 
out of the cut bank. Dr. Greengo found exposed human bones and other 
items that had been disturbed by the action of the surf and/or wind. 
Dr. Greengo returned in October 1963, in the company of Mr. and Mrs. 
Otis Baxter and collected bones and objects from the location that 
turned out to be site 45-CA-26. The collection has been housed at the 
Burke Museum since 1963. No known individuals were identified. The two 
associated funerary objects are an elk bone and a small bag of sand and 
crushed bone.
    Geographic, historic, and anthropological evidence indicates that 
the human remains are Native American. The site (45-CA-26) is a shell 
midden site located within the current boundaries of the Makah Indian 
Reservation. Burial of human remains in or near shell middens is 
consistent with Native American burial practices in the Pacific 
Northwest. This area was historically and prehistorically occupied by 
the Makah people for at least the past 4,000 years.

Determinations Made by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Burke 
Museum

    Officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Burke Museum have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of five individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the two objects 
described in this notice 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 Makah 
Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Anna Pardo, Museum Program Manager/NAGPRA 
Coordinator, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
12220 Sunrise Valley Drive, Room 6084, Reston, VA 20191, telephone 
(703) 390-6343, email [email protected], by May 28, 2015. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation may proceed.
    The Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for notifying the Makah 
Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation that this notice has been 
published.


[[Page 23572]]


    Dated: April 1, 2015.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-09912 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P