[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 802-803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00072]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19860; 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 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 Tennessee Valley Authority at the address in 
this notice by February 8, 2016.

[[Page 803]]


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 hereby given in accordance with 
Section 5 of 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 sites 1LI14 and 1LI37, in Limestone County, Alabama.
    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 Tennessee 
Valley Authority professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town; 
Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; 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); The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and the Shawnee Tribe.

History and Description of the Remains

    In the 1950s, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were collected by James Cambron, a resident of Decatur, 
Alabama from site 1LI14, in Limestone County, AL. The human remains 
were identified as a female between the ages of 20-24. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from site 1L114, in Limestone County, AL. These 
human remains were located during a recent validation of the Tennessee 
Valley Authority NAGPRA cultural items stored at the University of 
Alabama. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Archaeological site 1LI14 is located on the Tennessee River across 
from the mouth of Flint creek in Limestone County, Alabama. It is 
located on the pre-inundation right descending bank of the Tennessee 
River within the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. The Alabama state site form 
describes this site as a truncated pyramidal mound and associated shell 
mound or village near Decatur, Alabama. The mound is 100 ft. from the 
river and is 135 ft. long by 80 ft. wide at the base and 90 ft. long by 
60 ft. wide at the plateau. The long axis of the mound is parallel to 
the river. Tennessee Valley Authority purchased the land encompassing 
this site on June 4, 1935. Although not subject to excavation during 
the construction of the Wheeler Reservoir, this site is generally 
believed to have Middle Woodland through Mississippian occupations.
    In the 1950s, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were collected by James Cambron from site 1L137 in Limestone 
County, AL. The human remains were identified as a 15-year-old of 
indeterminate gender. Lack of funerary objects makes chronology of 
these human remains uncertain. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Archaeological site 1LI37 is 6.8 miles northeast of 1LI14 on 
Beaverdam Creek near Interstate 565. It is also within the Wheeler 
Wildlife Refuge. It was recorded in the Alabama site file in 1978. The 
University of Alabama recovered one reworked Early Archaic projectile 
point/knife during shovel testing of the site. An anvil-stone was also 
recovered. Available evidence suggests this site was occupied sometime 
during the Archaic period. Tennessee Valley Authority purchased the 
land intersecting this site on November 6, 1934.

Determinations Made by the Tennessee Valley Authority

    Officials of the Tennessee Valley Authority 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 3 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. Furthermore, Limestone 
County was recognized as the aboriginal lands of the Chickasaw Nation 
in a ratified treaty between the United States and the Chickasaw dated 
September 20, 1816.
     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, the United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma and the Chickasaw Nation.

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 February 8, 2016. 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, 
the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma and the 
Chickasaw Nation may proceed.
    Tennessee Valley Authority is responsible for notifying the 
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe 
of Texas; Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town; Cherokee Nation; Coushatta 
Tribe of Louisiana; 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); The 
Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Thlopthlocco Tribal 
Town; United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma; Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma; and the Shawnee Tribe that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: November 24, 2015.
Amberleigh Malone,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-00072 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P