[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8103-8104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03754]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0024987; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Utah Museum of Natural History, 
Salt Lake City, UT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Utah Museum of Natural History 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 Utah Museum of Natural History. 
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 Utah Museum 
of Natural History at the address in this notice by March 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Michelle Knoll, Utah Museum of Natural History, 301 Wakara 
Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, telephone (801) 581-3876, 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 Utah Museum of Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT. 
The human remains were removed from 42WS50 (Three Mile Ruin), 
Washington County, UT.
    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 Utah 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and the Paiute Indian 
Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem 
Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of 
Paiutes (formerly Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of 
Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian 
Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes)), hereafter 
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes.'' Requests for consultation were 
also sent to the Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona; 
Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian 
Colony, Nevada; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah; 
Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Zia, New Mexico; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; and the 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, (hereafter referred to 
as ``The Invited Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1962, human remains representing one individual were removed by 
the University of Utah from privately-owned land near the town of 
Ivins, Washington County, UT. The individual was transferred to the 
Utah Museum of Natural History in 1973. The highly fragmented remains 
of a juvenile's mandible and several teeth were recovered from a pit in 
a room block on a Virgin Branch Puebloan site, which had at least two 
occupations dating from A.D. 1050-1300. The circumstances of the burial 
suggest that the pit was not intended for the individual and that the 
partial human remains washed or blew into the pit after the site's 
abandonment. No associated funerary objects were identified. No known 
individuals were identified.
    In addition to the Virgin Branch Puebloan occupation, the Southern 
Paiute have occupied the immediate area since A.D. 1400, possibly 
earlier. The questionable context of the burial precludes any 
determination of cultural affiliation given the current evidence, other 
than Native American, which was confirmed through dental analysis.

[[Page 8104]]

Determinations Made by the Utah Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Utah Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     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, based on dental morphology.
     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 
Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of 
Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and 
Shivwits Band of Paiutes (formerly Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar 
City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of 
Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes)).
     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 Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band 
of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian 
Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes (formerly Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of 
Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and 
Shivwits Band of Paiutes)).
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be to the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of 
Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian 
Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes (formerly Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of 
Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and 
Shivwits Band of Paiutes)).

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 Michelle Knoll, Utah Museum of Natural 
History, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, telephone (801) 581-
3876, email [email protected], by March 26, 2018. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the human remains to the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of 
Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian 
Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes (formerly Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of 
Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and 
Shivwits Band of Paiutes)) may proceed.
    The Utah Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: February 2, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-03754 Filed 2-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P