[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 52494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21501]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18959; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest, Sonora, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Stanislaus 
National Forest, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items 
listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary 
objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the 
Stanislaus National Forest. If no additional claimants come forward, 
transfer of control of the cultural items 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 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the Stanislaus National Forest 
at the address in this notice by September 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Jeanie Higgins, Forest Supervisor, Stanislaus National 
Forest, 19777 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370, telephone (209) 536-
3671, 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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the Stanislaus National Forest, Sonora, CA, that meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    In 1979 and 1981, 45 cultural items were removed from site CA-TUO-
0979 in Calaveras County, CA. The site was used as a burial ground for 
certain groups of the Central Sierra Miwok as late as the early 
twentieth century. During monitoring between October 1979 and December 
1981, evidence of site looting was documented by Stanislaus National 
Forest Heritage Program personnel. At that time, a number of cultural 
items were collected from the ``backdirt'' left over from looting 
activities. Human remains were noted in direct association with these 
cultural items, although no human remains were collected. The 45 
unassociated funerary objects are 1 whole abalone shell, 6 abalone 
pendants, 14 whole Olivella shells (5 are drilled), 9 Olivella spire-
lopped shell beads, 5 clam shell disk beads, 9 glass trade beads (4 
simple white beads, 2 compound white beads, and 3 red-on-black 
Cornaline d'Allepo beads), and 1 metal button with a glass acorn 
decoration.
    After consultation with the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the 
Tuolumne Rancheria of California and Calaveras Band of Miwuk Indians, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group, a lineal descendant of the 
individual buried at the site, Dora Mata, was identified. Ms. Mata was 
no longer living and attempts to contact her son were unsuccessful. 
Rose Russell, a granddaughter of Dora Mata, contacted the Stanislaus 
National Forest and made a request for repatriation of the unassociated 
funerary objects. The Stanislaus National Forest determined Rose 
Russell is a lineal descendant of the individual buried at the site 
from which the unassociated funerary objects were removed.

Determinations Made by the Stanislaus National Forest

    Officials of the Stanislaus National Forest have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 45 cultural items 
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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3005(a)(5)(A), Rose Russell is the 
direct lineal descendant of the individual associated with the cultural 
items.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Jeanie Higgins, Forest Supervisor, 
Stanislaus National Forest, 19777 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370, 
telephone (209) 536-3671, email [email protected], by September 30, 
2015. After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, 
transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects to Rose 
Russell may proceed.
    The Stanislaus National Forest is responsible for notifying the 
California Valley Miwok Tribe, California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of 
Me-Wuk Indians of California; and Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of 
the Tuolumne Rancheria of California that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: July 31, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-21501 Filed 8-28-15; 8:45 am]
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