[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22176-22177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08366]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030072; 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 Federally-recognized Indian Tribes, 
and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Federally-recognized Indian Tribes. Representatives of any Federally-
recognized Indian Tribe 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 the TVA. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Federally-recognized 
Indian Tribe stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any Federally-recognized Indian Tribe 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 the TVA 
at the address in this notice by May 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, Tennessee Valley Authority, 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 the Tennessee Valley 
Authority, Knoxville, TN, and stored at the McClung Museum of Natural 
History and Culture (MM) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. 
The human remains and associated

[[Page 22177]]

funerary objects were excavated from 40BN25, the Ledbetter Landing 
archeological site in Benton County, TN.
    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 and associated funerary 
objects was made by TVA professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation; The Osage Nation (previously listed as Osage Tribe); 
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the 
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Site 40BN25 was excavated as part of TVA's Kentucky reservoir 
project by the University of Tennessee, using labor and funds provided 
by the Works Progress Administration. Details regarding these 
excavations have not been published. A field report by George Lindberg 
regarding this site can be found at the MM and TVA. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects listed in this notice have been in the 
physical custody of the University of Tennessee since excavation, but 
are under the control of the TVA.
    From October-to-December 1940, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 128 individuals were removed from site 40BN25, in Benton 
County, TN. These human remains represent 39 females, 28 male and 61 
individuals of undeterminable sex. They also represent adults, sub-
adults, and infants. No known individuals were identified. The 1,478 
associated funerary objects include 79 animal bones, nine antler tine 
fragments, three antler tools, one bannerstone, 14 bone awls, 19 bone 
awl fragments, five bone pin fragments, three chert drills, one chert 
graver, one conch shell pendant, two copper beads, one cut and polished 
mountain lion femur, seven pieces of debitage, one modified human 
femur, one metal fragment, one pebble in red ochre, one perforated 
copper object, one perforated pebble, one perforated shell discoidal, 
one perforated shell with copper, 23 projectile points, one sample of 
red ochre, three pieces of sediment, 1,281 shell beads, five sherds, 
one whetstone, one worked antler, and 11 worked bone or bone fragments.
    Excavation on 40BN25 commenced after TVA had acquired the land 
encompassing this site on July 11, 1940. Excavations identified two 
strata. Stratum I was 60 centimeters thick and contained ceramics 
attributed to the Early Woodland period. Stratum II was 75 centimeters 
thick and represented a Late Archaic occupation. Stratum II was the 
least disturbed by plowing, construction of warehouses, and looting. No 
post mold patterns indicative of structures were identified. In his 
2014 dissertation, Thaddeus Bissett presented three radiocarbon dates 
from this site. He generated a calibrated date of 2636 89 
Before the Present (BP) from carbonized material from Stratum I. From 
Stratum II, he got two calibrated dates, 4489 88 BP and 
4314 79 BP. Based on these radiocarbon dates and the 
stratigraphic distribution of projectile points, Bissett verifies that 
Stratum II was Late Archaic and Stratum I was an Early Woodland 
occupation.

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 128 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 1,478 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.
     The Treaty of October 19, 1818, indicates that the land 
from which the cultural items were removed is the aboriginal land of 
The Chickasaw Nation.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1)(ii), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Chickasaw 
Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Federally-recognized Indian Tribe 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, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill 
Drive, WT11C, Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, email 
[email protected], by May 21, 2020. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to The Chickasaw Nation may proceed.
    The Tennessee Valley Authority is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 25, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-08366 Filed 4-20-20; 8:45 am]
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