[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 150 (Wednesday, August 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46597-46598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19267]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18496; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority, 
Knoxville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed an 
inventory of human remains in consultation with the appropriate 
federally recognized Indian tribes and has determined that there is no 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and any present-day 
federally recognized Indian tribes. Representatives of any federally 
recognized Indian tribe not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request to TVA. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the federally recognized 
Indian tribe stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any federally recognized Indian tribe 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 TVA at the address in this notice by 
September 4, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11D, 
Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, 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 under 
the control and possession of TVA. The human remains were removed from 
site 40MI21, in Marion County, TN.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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 TVA's 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Absentee 
Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously 
listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte 
Tribal Town; Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern 
Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town; Poarch Band of Creeks 
(previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama); 
Shawnee Tribe; The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation of 
Oklahoma; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; 
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1964 and 1965, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from site 40MI21, in Marion County, TN, by 
amateur archeologists following the building of Nickajack Dam. TVA has 
under its control and in its physical possession human remains from one 
adult male and one adult female. No known individuals were identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    Ernest A. Bachman and others removed 20 burials from site 40MI21 
between 1964 and 1965 and reported on this in the Tennessee 
Archaeologist (Bachman 1966). Bachman indicated that an erosional 
trench was being cut through the site as a result of dredging, 
revealing human burials. Bachman states that some of the non-funerary 
ceramic artifacts were examined by the University of Tennessee and 
identified as representing Late Archaic (c. 3000-1000 B.C.) and 
Woodland (900 B.C.-A.D. 900) components.
    Since no funerary objects accompanied the human remains under the 
control of TVA, it is not known if they were derived from the Late 
Archaic or the Woodland occupation. The lack of any detailed 
information on these human remains leads TVA to determine that they are 
culturally unidentifiable.

Determinations Made by the Tennessee Valley Authority

    Officials of TVA have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on their presence in 
prehistoric archeological contexts.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 2 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of 
the Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1)(ii), TVA has decided to 
transfer control of the culturally unidentifiable human remains to the 
Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any federally recognized Indian tribe 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 Dr. Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit 
Hill Drive, WT11D, Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, 
email [email protected], by September 4, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, 
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma may 
proceed.
    TVA is responsible for notifying the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; 
Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town; Poarch Band of Creeks 
(previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama); 
Shawnee Tribe; The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation of 
Oklahoma; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; 
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this 
notice has been published.


[[Page 46598]]


    Dated: June 29, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-19267 Filed 8-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P