[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13495-13496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04852]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22865; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Southeast Region, Hardeeville, SC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region (USFWS-
SER) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 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 USFWS-SER. 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 USFWS-SER at the address in this notice 
by April 12, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Richard S. Kanaski, Regional Historic Preservation Officer & 
Regional Archaeologist, Savannah Coastal Refuges, Office of the 
Regional Archaeologist, 694 Beech Hill Lane, Hardeeville, SC 29927-
8958, telephone (843) 784-6310, 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 USFWS-SER, 
Hardeeville, SC. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Limestone and Morgan Counties, AL, and Decatur County, TN.

[[Page 13496]]

    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 Office 
of the Regional Archaeologist's professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of The Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band 
of Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma. The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana and The Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation were invited to participate, but declined.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1979, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from site 40DR7 in Decatur County, TN. This one 
fragmentary human femur was removed during a general surface 
collection. Based upon the artifact assemblage recovered during the 
surface collection, site 40DR7 appeared to have been occupied during 
the Late Archaic, Middle Woodland, Late Woodland, and the Historic 
Periods. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1953, human remains representing, at a minimum, three 
individuals, were removed from site 1LI48 in Limestone County, AL, 
during salvage excavations of the eroding shell midden. Based upon the 
recovered artifact assemblage, site 1LI48 was occupied during the Late 
Archaic through Late Woodland Periods. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1953, human remains representing, at a minimum, one individual, 
were removed from site 1MG107 in Morgan County, AL during salvage 
excavation of the eroding shell midden. Based upon the artifact 
assemblage, site 1MG107 was occupied during the Early Archaic through 
the Middle Woodland Periods. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1969, human remains representing, at a minimum, seven 
individuals, were removed from site 1MG74 in Morgan County, AL during 
salvage excavations. The site was identified during Alabama Highway's 
construction of Interstate 65 across Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge 
and the Tennessee River.Site 1MG74 dates to the Early-Middle Woodland 
Periods. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1997, human remains representing, at a minimum, four 
individuals, were removed from site 1MG39 in Morgan County, AL as part 
of a federal law enforcement investigation of an archeological resource 
violation. Site 1MG39 was occupied at least as early as the Early 
Archaic [7000-8000 B.C.] and into the Mississippian Period [A.D. 1000]. 
The bulk of the occupation occurs during the Woodland Period [300 B.C.-
A.D. 900]. No known individuals were identified. The 21 associated 
funerary objects include one left White-tailed deer scapular fragment, 
10 UID mammal diaphyseal fragments, 1 UID turtle carapace fragment, 4 
UID shell fragments, 1 sandstone abrader fragment, and 4 sand-temper 
plain ceramic sherds.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast 
Region

    Officials of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 16 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 21 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.
     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 The Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee 
Indians in Oklahoma.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be jointly to The Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee 
Indians in Oklahoma.

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 Richard S. Kanaski, Regional Historic 
Preservation Officer & Regional Archaeologist, Savannah Coastal 
Refuges, Office of the Regional Archaeologist, 694 Beech Hill Lane, 
Hardeeville, South Carolina 29927-8958, telephone (843) 784-6310, email 
[email protected], by April 12, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to The Chickasaw Nation, 
Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma may proceed.
    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region is responsible 
for notifying The Chickasaw Nation, Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 6, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-04852 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P