[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17358-17359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06434]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0029881; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Connecticut State Museum of 
Natural History, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of 
Connecticut 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 Connecticut State Museum of 
Natural History, University of Connecticut. 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 
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of Connecticut 
at the address in this notice by April 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Jacqueline Veninger-Robert, NAGPRA Coordinator, 
University of Connecticut, 354 Mansfield Road, Unit 1176, Storrs, CT 
06269-1176, telephone (860) 486-6953, 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 Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, 
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. The human remains were removed 
from ID.
    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 
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of Connecticut 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Coeur 
D'Alene Tribe (previously listed as the Coeur D'Alene Tribe of the 
Coeur D'Alene Reservation, Idaho); Confederated Salish and Kootenai 
Tribes of the Flathead Reservation; Confederated Tribes of the Warm 
Springs Reservation of Oregon; Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River 
Reservation, Wyoming (previously listed as the Shoshone Tribe of the 
Wind River Reservation, Wyoming); Fort Belknap Indian Community of the 
Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana; Kalispel Indian Community of the 
Kalispel Reservation; Kootenai Tribe of Idaho; Nez Perce Tribe 
(previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho); Northwestern Band 
of the Shoshone Nation (previously listed as Northwestern Band of 
Shoshoni Nation and the Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah 
(Washakie)); Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation; and 
the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in Idaho. This individual, 
represented by a cranium and mandible, was in the possession of William 
S. Laughlin, a professor of physical anthropology at the University of 
Connecticut (1969-1999). Laughlin died in 2001. In 2014, his family 
donated the human remains to the Connecticut State Museum of Natural 
History, University of Connecticut. When or how this individual came 
into Laughlin's possession is not known. The words ``Idaho `86'' 
written on the curation storage box and artifact tag are the only 
record accompanying the human remains.
    Prior to joining the University of Connecticut, Laughlin served as 
faculty at the University of Oregon (1949-1955) and the University of 
Wisconsin (1955-1969). Predominantly known for his work in the Aleutian 
Islands, AK,

[[Page 17359]]

Laughlin also undertook excavations in Oregon.
    In 2015, skeletal analysis of the human remains was done by Douglas 
Owsley. Owsley's analysis established that the individual is a male, 
30-40 years old, of Native American ancestry. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Historically, the Nez Perce Tribe occupied a large area of what is 
now Idaho. While the provenience of the human remains is unknown, more 
likely than not they originate from the traditional territory of the 
Nez Perce. The Tribe's ancestral territory, which includes the land 
recognized by a final judgment of the Indian Claims Commission (ICC) as 
the Tribe's aboriginal land and the Tribe's 1855 reservation boundary, 
covers most of north-central Idaho, southeastern Washington and 
northeastern Oregon. Consequently, based on geographic location, 
historical documents, anthropological, and biological data, this 
individual is likely ancestral to the Nez Perce Tribe.

Determinations Made by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, 
University of Connecticut

    Officials of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, 
University of Connecticut 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.
     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 Nez Perce Tribe (previously listed as 
the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho).

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 Dr. 
Jacqueline Veninger-Robert, NAGPRA Coordinator, University of 
Connecticut, 354 Mansfield Road, Unit 1176, Storrs, CT 06269-1176, 
telephone (860) 486-6953, email [email protected], by April 
27, 2020. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Nez Perce 
Tribe (previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho) may proceed.
    The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of 
Connecticut is responsible for notifying The Consulted Tribes that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: February 19, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-06434 Filed 3-26-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P