[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5028-5029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01353]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0029370; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, San Juan National Forest, Durango, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San Juan 
National Forest has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 
should submit a written request to the San Juan National Forest. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the San 
Juan National Forest at the address in this notice by February 27, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Mark Lambert, Staff Officer, San Juan National Forest, 15 
Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301, telephone (970) 385-1240, 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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San 
Juan National Forest, Durango, CO. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from the Falls Creek Rock Shelters 
(5LP1434), on lands managed by the Forest Service in the Animas Valley, 
North of Durango, La Plata County, CO.
    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. 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 San Juan 
National Forest, La Plata County Historical Society, and Fort Lewis 
College professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Kewa 
Pueblo, New Mexico (previously listed as the Pueblo of Santo Domingo); 
Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico 
(previously listed as the Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana., New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Southern Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 
(previously listed as the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah); and the Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted 
Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1936, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from the Falls Creek Rock Shelters (5LP1434) in La Plata 
County, CO. The human remains were collected by the National Youth 
Administration, under the direction of Helen Daniels, at the South 
Shelter of the Falls Creek Rock Shelters in June 1936. The human 
remains remained in Daniels' possession until they were donated to the 
La Plata County Historical Society in 1989. The La Plata County 
Historical Society completed a NAGPRA inventory in 2018, and identified 
three individuals from the Falls Creek Rock Shelters. In 2018, physical 
transfer of the human remains to the San Juan National Forest took 
place. Individual 1 is an infant of about 2 months of age (range 1-3 
months). Individual 2 is an adult (18+ years), sex indeterminate. 
Individual 3 is an infant aged 5-7 months. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The Falls Creek Rock Shelters have been identified as a Basketmaker 
II habitation site, with the main occupation occurring between 300 B.C. 
and A.D. 400, based upon tree-ring dates. The preponderance of evidence 
derived from the archeological, biological, oral traditions, and

[[Page 5029]]

geographic lines of evidence indicate that the Basketmaker II 
populations of the Durango/Upper Animas District, in Southwest Colorado 
are culturally affiliated with the modern Puebloan people (Coleman 
2013, 12), represented by the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kewa Pueblo, New 
Mexico (formerly Pueblo of Santo Domingo); Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico 
(previously listed as the Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana., New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Ysleta del 
Sur Pueblo (previously listed as the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas); 
and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Affiliated Tribes'').
    This cultural determination is based upon an extensive review of 
published and unpublished information, including information provided 
by Indian Tribes during consultations conducted between 1995 and 2015 
and archeological evidence consisting of chronological data, artifacts, 
and rock art. In addition, recent DNA research, as well as Hopi and 
Zuni oral traditions, demonstrate an affiliation between Basketmaker II 
populations and modern Puebloans.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, San Juan National Forest

    Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
San Juan National Forest have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Mark 
Lambert, Staff Officer, San Juan National Forest, 15 Burnett Court, 
Durango, CO 81301, telephone (970) 385-1240, email 
[email protected], by February 27, 2020. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to The Affiliated Tribes may proceed.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San Juan 
National Forest, is responsible for notifying The Consulted Tribes and 
The Affiliated Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 22, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-01353 Filed 1-27-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P