[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 17, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52530-52531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22601]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0026501; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of California, Davis, 
Davis, CA, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, 
Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and U.S. Bureau 
of Reclamation (Reclamation), Mid-Pacific Region, Sacramento, CA, 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 UC Davis and Reclamation. 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 UC Davis and Reclamation at the addresses in 
this notice by November 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Megon Noble, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of 
California, Davis, 433 Mrak Hall, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, 
telephone (530) 752-8501, email [email protected], or Melanie Ryan, 
NAGPRA Specialist/Physical Anthropologist, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-
Pacific Regional Office, MP-153, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 
95825, telephone (916) 978-5526, 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 UC Davis, Davis, 
CA and Reclamation, Sacramento, CA. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from El Dorado and Placer Counties, CA.
    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 UC Davis and 
Reclamation professional staff in consultation with the Buena Vista 
Rancheria of Me-wuk Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians 
of California; Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians; Shingle Springs 
Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), 
California; and the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn 
Rancheria of California (hereafter ``The Consulted Tribes''). Berry 
Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Enterprise Rancheria of 
Maidu Indians of California; Greenville Rancheria; Mooretown Rancheria 
of Maidu Indians of California; Susanville Indian Rancheria; and the 
Wilton Rancheria were invited to consult and either deferred or did not 
respond (hereafter ``The Invited Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1966 and 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, four 
individuals were removed from CA-ELD-90, near the City of Cool, El 
Dorado County, CA. The site was identified as a prehistoric midden. UC 
Davis archeologists Jeffrey Childress and Eric Ritter excavated the 
site under the direction of Dr. Martin Baumhoff and D.L. True as a part 
of the Auburn Dam Project. The excavation was conducted by the National 
Park Service on behalf of Reclamation in anticipation of the 
construction of the Auburn Dam. In 1971 and 1972, Reclamation acquired 
the land on which the site is situated. Control of the site was 
disputed for a number of years. In 2016, UC Davis and Reclamation 
agreed to jointly comply with NAGPRA. Burial 1 is the nearly complete 
remains of an adult female inhumation. Burials 2, 3, and 4 were 
disarticulated and disassociated. Burial 2 is possibly the remains of a 
male. Burial 3 is the incomplete remains of a possible adult cremation. 
Burial 4 is the remains of a child inhumation. The human remains have 
been determined to be Native American based on the archaeological 
context of the site and physiological characteristics of the dentition. 
The 373 associated funerary objects include: 3 Lots of ash, 34 lots of 
non-human bones, 3 bone awls, 1 broken cobble, 10 lots of charcoal, 38 
cores, 50 lots of debitage, 3 drills, 15 flake knives, 1 hammerstone, 1 
piece of historic glass, 1 mano, 1 lot of miscellaneous organic 
material, 1 miscellaneous steatite artifact, 7 miscellaneous worked 
stones, 4 miscellaneous mineral fragments, 6 lots of ochre, 1 steatite 
ornament, 1 pebble, 1 possible retouched flake, 84 lots of possibly 
unmodified stones, 37 quartz crystals, 1 scraper, 3 shells, 1 shell 
bead, 6 stones, 1 stone bead, 56 projectile points, and 2 pieces of 
wood.
    Between 1966 and 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, four 
individuals were removed from CA-

[[Page 52531]]

ELD-93, near the City of Cool, El Dorado County, CA. The site was 
identified as a prehistoric midden. UC Davis archeologists Jeffrey 
Childress and Eric Ritter excavated the site under the direction of Dr. 
Martin Baumhoff and D.L. True as a part of the Auburn Dam Project. The 
excavation was conducted by the National Park Service on behalf of 
Reclamation in anticipation of the construction of the Auburn Dam. The 
precise location of CA-ELD-93 is unclear and appears to be 
unresolvable. Childress and Ritter provide two different site 
locations. The parcels were purchased by Reclamation in 1967 and 1971. 
In 2016, UC Davis and Reclamation agreed to jointly comply with NAGPRA. 
Three of the four burials were found disarticulated and disturbed. 
Burial 3A was found in a tightly flexed position. Burials all appear to 
be adult. The human remains have been determined to be Native American 
based on the archaeological context of the site and physiological 
characteristics of the dentition. The 469 associated funerary objects 
include: 3 Bifacial artifacts, 20 lots of non-human bones, 1 bone awl, 
4 lots of charcoal, 1 charmstone, 3 cobble tools, 14 cores, 76 lots of 
debitage, 22 flake knives, 6 flake tools, 2 historic glass fragments, 6 
manos, 1 lot of metal, 3 miscellaneous steatite artifacts, 1 
miscellaneous worked stone, 3 miscellaneous mineral fragments, 3 lots 
of nut fragments, 1 piece of obsidian, 3 lots of ochre, 1 steatite 
ornament, 2 pendants, 3 pestles, 199 lots of possibly unmodified 
stones, 1 quartz fragment, 13 quartz crystals, 1 scraper, 1 shell, 1 
shell bead, 3 pieces of steatite, 9 stones, 60 projectile points, 1 
used flake, and 1 piece of wood.
    Between 1967 and 1969, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from CA-PLA-101, west of Forest Hill in Placer 
County, CA. The site was identified as a large prehistoric occupation 
midden. UC Davis archeologists Jeffrey Childress and Eric Ritter 
excavated the site under the direction of Dr. Martin Baumhoff and D.L. 
True as a part of the Auburn Dam Project. The excavation was conducted 
by the National Park Service on behalf of Reclamation in anticipation 
of the construction of the Auburn Dam. In 2016, UC Davis and 
Reclamation agreed to jointly comply with NAGPRA. Childress and Ritter 
did not identify any intact burials during their excavation. 
Disassociated human remains of a child and cremated remains of an adult 
were identified within the fauna. The human remains have been 
determined to be Native American based on the archaeological context of 
the site. The 166 associated funerary objects include: 1 Bifacial 
artifact, 6 lots of non-human bones, 1 charmstone, 1 cobble tool, 6 
cores, 3 core tools, 21 lots of debitage, 1 flake blade, 9 flake 
knives, 3 flake tools, 3 hammerstones, 4 manos, 19 millingstones, 3 
fragments of miscellaneous ground stone, 2 lots of ochre, 22 projectile 
points, 1 piece of possible debitage, 1 possible flake, 2 possible 
manos, 1 possible millingstone, 2 scrapers, 1 possible scraper, 2 
quartz crystals, 1 possible unmodified quartz fragment, 39 lots of 
possibly unmodified stones, 7 lots of seeds, and 4 stones.
    At an unknown date, likely between 1966 and 1969, human remains 
representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from an area 
described as ``Hawver Cave Dump'' near Cool in El Dorado County, CA. 
Hawver Cave is recorded as CA-ELD-16. Records for this site are limited 
and the specific collection location, cannot be confirmed. The area is 
believed to have been examined by UC Davis archeologists Jeffrey 
Childress and Bandes as a part of the Auburn Dam Project. The 
excavation was conducted by the National Park Service on behalf of 
Reclamation in anticipation of the construction of the Auburn Dam. In 
2016, UC Davis and Reclamation agreed to jointly comply with NAGPRA. 
Hawver Cave was used as a mortuary chamber. Hawver Cave was a limestone 
cavern that was historically mined. It is unclear where the ``Hawver 
Cave Dump'' is in relation to the cave. Human remains are limited to a 
single tooth collected from the surface. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    All four sites are situated in an area aboriginally occupied by the 
Nisenan. Ethnographic sources indicate that many aspects of Nisenan and 
Northern Sierra Miwok mortuary practices were so closely related as to 
be effectively indistinguishable in the archaeological record. Oral 
historical evidence provided indicates that these groups occupied the 
area since time immemorial. Multiple lines of evidence including oral 
tradition, ethnographic, archaeological, historic, and linguistic, 
demonstrate continuity and a shared group identity between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects in this notice and Nisenan and 
Northern Sierra Miwok tribes. The Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-wuk 
Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California; 
Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians; Shingle Springs Band of Miwok 
Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; United 
Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California; and the 
Wilton Rancheria (hereafter ``The Affiliated Tribes'') identify as 
Nisenan and/or Northern Sierra Miwok and are culturally affiliated with 
the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice.

Determinations Made by UC Davis and Reclamation

    Officials of UC Davis and Reclamation have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 11 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 1,008 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), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and The 
Affiliated Tribes.

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 Megon Noble, NAGPRA Project Manager, 
University of California, Davis, 433 Mrak Hall, One Shields Avenue, 
Davis, CA 95616, telephone (530) 752-8501 email [email protected], or 
Melanie Ryan, NAGPRA Specialist/Physical Anthropologist, Bureau of 
Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Regional Office, MP-153, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Sacramento, CA 95825, telephone (916) 978-5526, email [email protected] 
by November 16, 2018. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to The 
Affiliated Tribes may proceed.
    UC Davis and Reclamation are responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribes.

    Dated: September 14, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-22601 Filed 10-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P