[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 86 (Friday, May 3, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19111-19113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09038]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0027635; 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 (TVA) 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 no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request to TVA. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects 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 and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to TVA at the address in this notice by June 3, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, 
Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, 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 Tennessee Valley 
Authority, Knoxville, TN. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from archeological sites in Jackson and Marshall 
Counties, AL.
    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 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 TVA 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 
(previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Cherokee 
Nation; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; 
Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama); The Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; 
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Many of the sites listed in this notice were excavated as part of 
TVA's Guntersville Reservoir project by the Alabama Museum of Natural 
History (AMNH) at the University of Alabama, using labor and funds 
provided by the Works Progress Administration. Details regarding these 
excavations and sites may be found in ``An Archaeological Survey of 
Guntersville Basin on the Tennessee River in Northern Alabama,'' a 
report by William S. Webb and Charles G. Wilder. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects excavated from the sites listed in this 
notice have been in the physical custody of the AMNH at the University 
of Alabama since they were excavated.
    From July to December of 1938, human remains representing, at 
minimum, five individuals were removed from the Snodgrass site (1JA101) 
in Jackson County, AL. TVA acquired the site on October 17, 1938. 
Excavations revealed occupations from the Late Woodland to the 
Mississippian period. The human remains include adults, juveniles, and 
infants. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    From July 1973 to September 1974, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 13 individuals were removed from the Bellefonte site, 1JA300, 
in Jackson County, AL, as part of the construction of the Bellefonte 
Nuclear plant. TVA purchased the land encompassing the site on June 21, 
1937. Artifacts recovered from the site indicate occupations in the 
Archaic period (7500-1000 B.C.), Colbert phase (300 B.C.-A.D. 100), and 
Langston phase (A.D. 900-1200). The human remains include adults, 
juveniles, and children of both sexes. No known individuals were 
identified. The 18 associated funerary objects are 17 shell beads and 
one shell gorget.
    In 1973, human remains representing, at minimum, 29 individuals 
were removed from the Widows Creek site, 1JA305, in Jackson County, AL, 
as part of the expansion of TVA's Widows Creek power plant. TVA 
purchased the land encompassing this site on September 12, 1943. 
Multiple calibrated radiocarbon dates from this site indicated Early 
Woodland (600-100 B.C.) and Late Woodland (A.D. 500-1100) occupations. 
The human remains include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. 
No known individuals were identified. The 347 associated funerary 
objects are 98 copper beads; one bifurcated dear bone; 33 bivalvia; one 
bone fragment; one polished and carved bone fragment; one bone pin; 
five polished and burned bones; two modified deer bone; 28 gastropods; 
one greenstone celt fragment; one limestone biface; one limestone hoe; 
three chipped limestone tools; one ground limestone; 25 Long Branch 
Fabric Marked sherds; 28 Mulberry Creek Plain jar sherds; 112 shell 
beads; three shell gorget fragments; one tubular bone bead; and one 
unidentified bone.
    In July 1973, human remains representing, at minimum, 94 
individuals were removed from the Williams Landing site, 1JA306, 
Jackson County, AL, as part of a planned channelization of an adjacent 
creek. TVA purchased the site on August 18, 1937. A mound and sub-mound 
midden were excavated. Although there are no radiocarbon dates for this 
site, artifacts recovered from the site indicate a Middle Woodland 
burial mound with two intrusive Mississippian burials. The human 
remains include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. No known 
individuals were identified. The 2,851 associated funerary objects are 
one bone awl; one limestone hoe; two PP/K; 2,846 shell beads; and one 
shell pendant.

[[Page 19112]]

    From May to June 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, 21 
individuals were removed from the Deposit Landing site, 1MS14, in 
Marshall County, AL. TVA acquired the site on April 10, 1937, as part 
of the Guntersville Reservoir project. Excavations revealed occupations 
from the Copena (A.D. 100-500) and Flint River (A.D. 500-1000) phases. 
The human remains include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. 
No known individuals were identified. The 159 associated funerary 
objects are one bone awl; three modified bone fragments; one bone 
needle; one bone beamer fragment; 50 Mulberry Creek Plain sherds; and 
103 shell beads.
    From May to August, 1937, human remains representing, at minimum, 
47 individuals were removed from the McKee Island site, 1MS32, in 
Marshall County, AL. TVA acquired the site on November 12, 1936, as 
part of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This midden-rich village 
extended 800 feet along a ridge of the now inundated McKee Island. 
Although there are no radiocarbon dates from this site, ceramics 
recovered from 1MS32 indicate occupations during the Colbert (300 B.C.-
A.D. 100), Flint River (A.D. 500-1000), and Crow Creek (A.D. 1500-1650) 
phases. Trade goods from Euro-American origins indicate a historic 
Native American occupation. The human remains include adults, 
juveniles, and infants of both sexes. No known individuals were 
identified. The two associated funerary objects are one Sykes 
projectile and one shell pin.
    From May to June, 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, 29 
individuals were removed from the Houston site, 1MS43, in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA acquired the site on March 10, 1938 as part of the 
Guntersville Reservoir project. There was evidence that this 
prehistoric Native American site had been disturbed by pits dug during 
the Civil War. Although there are no radiocarbon dates from this site, 
the ceramics indicate occupations during the Copena (A.D. 100-500), 
Flint River (A.D. 500-1000), and Henrys Island (A.D. 1200-1450) phases. 
The human remains include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. 
No known individuals were identified. The 87 associated funerary 
objects are one Hamilton PP/K; six iron cut nails; 79 shell beads; and 
one modern umbrella stretcher tip.
    From March 3 to April 15, 1937, human remains representing, at 
minimum, two individuals were removed from site 1MS49 in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA initiated purchase of the site on June 12, 1936 as part 
of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This was one of several mound 
sites that have become known as the Roden Mounds (1MS47, 1MS48, 1MS49, 
1MS50, 1MS51, 1MS53 and 1MS53A). All these mounds are thought to date 
to the Copena phase (A.D. 100-500). In 1937, the mound was 40 x 60 feet 
at the base and 4.5 feet in height. Excavation was primarily by 
vertical slicing with occasional horizontal blocks. One fire pit was 
identified. Additional features might have once held human remains, but 
evidence of human remains was lacking at the time of excavation. One 
individual was 13-15 years of age and of unknown sex. The second was an 
adult 18 years of age or older, and of unknown sex. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    From February 23 to March 18, 1939, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 12 individuals were removed from site 1MS51 in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA initiated purchase of the site on June 12, 1936 as part 
of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This was one of several mound 
sites that have become known as the Roden Mounds (1MS47, 1MS48, 1MS49, 
1MS50, 1MS51, 1MS53 and 1MS53A). All these mounds are thought to date 
to the Copena phase (A.D. 100-500). In 1939, the mound was 60 feet in 
diameter at the base and 1.3 feet in height. Excavation was primarily 
by vertical slicing with occasional horizontal blocks. Two midden pits 
were identified. Additional features might have once held human 
remains, but evidence of human remains was lacking at the time of 
excavation. The human remains include adults, juveniles, and one 
infant, but were too fragmentary to determine sex. No known individuals 
were identified. The one associated funerary object is a Hamilton 
projectile point.
    From February 26 to 29, 1937, human remains representing, at 
minimum, three individuals were removed from site 1MS53 in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA initiated purchase of the site on June 12, 1936, as 
part of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This was one of several 
mound sites that have become known as the Roden Mounds (1MS47, 1MS48, 
1MS49, 1MS50, 1MS51, 1MS53 and 1MS53A). All these mounds are thought to 
date to the Copena phase (A.D. 100-500). In 1937, the mound was 60 feet 
in diameter at the base and 1.5 feet in height. Excavation was 
primarily by vertical slicing with occasional horizontal blocks. 
Rectangular features might have once held human remains, but evidence 
of human remains was lacking at the time of excavation. The human 
remains represent adults, but were too fragmentary to determine sex. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    From March 6 to 20, 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, 
eight individuals were removed from site 1MS53A in Marshall County, AL. 
TVA initiated purchase of the site on June 12, 1936, as part of the 
Guntersville Reservoir project. This was one of several mound sites 
that have become known as the Roden Mounds (1MS47, 1MS48, 1MS49, 1MS50, 
1MS51, 1MS53 and 1MS53A). All these mounds are thought to date to the 
Copena phase (A.D. 100-500). In 1939, little evidence of the mound 
remained. Test trenches encountered a midden pit and features that 
might have held human remains. The human remains represent adults, but 
were too fragmentary to determine sex. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    From September 1937 to May 1938, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 109 individuals were removed from the Henry Island site, 
1MS55, in Marshall County, AL. TVA initiated purchase of the site on 
November 2, 1936, as part of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This 
site was composed of two earthen mounds and associated village midden. 
Although there are no radiocarbon dates from this site, artifacts from 
the excavation suggest occupations during the Copena (A.D. 100-500), 
Flint River (A.D. 500-1000), Henry Island (A.D. 1200-1500), and Crow 
Creek (A.D. 1500-1650) phases. The human remains represent adults, 
juveniles, and infants of both sexes. No known individuals were 
identified. The 209 associated funerary objects are one Baldwin Plain 
bowl; six bone awls; one bone billet; 15 bone needles; one bone pin; 
one unidentified bone; one ceramic elbow pipe; one ground hematite 
nodule; five Mississippi Plain sherds; 176 shell beads; and one shell 
cup.
    From June to October 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, 
141 individuals were removed from the Harris site, 1MS80, in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA purchased the site on January 26, 1937, as part of the 
Guntersville Reservoir project. This shell-midden site was excavated 
through trenches and horizontal blocks. Although there are no 
radiocarbon dates from this site, artifacts from the excavation suggest 
occupations during the Copena (A.D. 100-500), Flint River (A.D. 500-
1000), and Henry Island (A.D. 1200-1500) phases. The human remains 
represent adults, juveniles, and infants of both

[[Page 19113]]

sexes. No known individuals were identified. The 6,501 associated 
funerary objects are two crinoid stems; one Hamilton PP/K; six 
freshwater pearl beads; two chert preforms; 6,489 shell beads; and one 
shell pendant.
    In January 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, 32 
individuals were removed from the Halls site, 1MS107, in Marshall 
County, AL. TVA purchased the site on April 14, 1937, as part of the 
Guntersville Reservoir project. This village site was shallow, and had 
been disturbed by river erosion. Although there are no radiocarbon 
dates from this site, artifacts from the excavation suggest occupations 
during the Colbert (300 B.C.-A.D. 100), Flint River (A.D. 500-1000), 
and Henry Island (A.D. 1200-1500) phases. The human remains represent 
adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    From January to March, 1940, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 60 individuals were removed from the McDonald site, 1MS147, in 
Marshall County, AL. TVA acquired the site on August 5, 1938, as part 
of the Guntersville Reservoir project. This site was composed of both a 
village and a mound. Although there are no radiocarbon dates from this 
site, the artifacts indicate that it was primarily occupied during the 
Copena phase (A.D. 100-500). The human remains were fragmentary, but 
include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. No known 
individuals were identified. The 64 associated funerary object are four 
chert bifaces; one clay sample; one conch shell; one conch shell cup; 
one cortical chert debitage; one galena nodule; one greenstone hoe; 
eight chert preforms; 37 shell beads; three soil samples; one steatite 
bowl; and five steatite vessel sherds.
    From 1933 to 1934, human remains representing, at minimum, four 
individuals were removed from site 1JA17 in Jackson County, AL. A 
recent examination of the materials collected during surveys of north 
Alabama conducted in anticipation of the construction of TVA reservoirs 
identified human remains combined with animal bones. Although these 
north Alabama sites are prehistoric Native American, nothing else is 
known about them. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    From 1933 to 1934, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from sites 1MS42, 1MS56, 1MS73, 1MS74, 1MS76, 
1MS78, 1MS79, in Marshall County, AL. A recent examination of the 
materials collected during surveys of north Alabama conducted in 
anticipation of the construction of TVA reservoirs identified human 
remains combined with animal bones. Although these north Alabama sites 
are prehistoric Native American, nothing else is known about them. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    At the time of the excavation and removal of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects, the land from which the remains and 
objects were removed was not the tribal land of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization. In May 2018, TVA consulted with all 
Indian Tribes who are recognized as aboriginal to the area from which 
these Native American human remains and associated funerary objects 
were removed. These Tribes are the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma. None of these Indian Tribes agreed to accept control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects. In May 2018, TVA agreed 
to transfer control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as 
the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

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 sites and osteological analysis.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 616 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 10,239 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 associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian Tribe.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(2)(i), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Coushatta Tribe of 
Louisiana; and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

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 and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. 
Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, Knoxville, TN 
37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, email [email protected], by June 3, 
2019. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as 
the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation may 
proceed.
    The Tennessee Valley Authority is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 4, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-09038 Filed 5-2-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P