[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62093-62094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26335]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19470;PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Pima County Office of the Medical 
Examiner, Tucson, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) has 
completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations. 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 PCOME. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 PCOME at the 
address in this notice by November 16, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Bruce Anderson, Forensic Anthropologist, Pima County 
Office of the Medical Examiner, 2825 E District Street, Tucson, AZ 
85714, telephone (520) 724-8600, 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 of the PCOME, Tucson, AZ. The human remains were removed 
from an unknown location within Navajo County, AZ.
    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 the PCOME 
professional staff, in consultation with representatives of Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of 
the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 
Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe of 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and the Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1989, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from an unknown location in Navajo County, AZ. The human 
remains were found by hikers and were recovered by the Navajo 
Department of Public Safety (which is analogous to the current Navajo 
Police Department), on an unknown date. On October 17, 1989, the human 
remains were transferred to the PCOME, which were then analyzed by Dr. 
Walter H. Birkby, a forensic anthropologist at the PCOME. The human 
remains were designated Forensic Anthropology case FA#89-038, which 
also indicates that the medical examiners at the PCOME had no 
involvement in this particular case. According to Dr. Birkby, the human 
remains were of an adult female of Native American ancestry and likely 
historic or prehistoric. The human remains have since resided within 
the PCOME as an unidentified case, and were rediscovered by Dr. Bruce 
Anderson, the current forensic anthropologist at the PCOME, in 2012. In 
2012, an inventory was made but no analysis was done. No known 
individuals were identified and no associated funerary objects are 
present.

Determinations Made by the PCOME

    Officials of the PCOME have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice may be Native American based on possible prehistoric 
condition.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(15), the land from which the 
Native American human remains were removed is the tribal land of Navajo 
Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah.
     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 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation of Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; and 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed 
is the aboriginal land of Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation of 
Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be to Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, 
New Mexico & Utah; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 Dr. Bruce Anderson, Forensic 
Anthropologist, Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, 2825 E 
District Street, Tucson, AZ 85714, telephone (520) 724-8600, email 
[email protected], by November 16, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico & Utah; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico may 
proceed.

[[Page 62094]]

    The PCOME is responsible for notifying Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 
Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 30, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-26335 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P