[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35439-35440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12553]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030350; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: The Florida Department of State/
Division of Historical Resources, Tallahassee, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical 
Resources, 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

[[Page 35440]]

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 the Florida Department of 
State, Division of Historical Resources. 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 the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical 
Resources at the address in this notice by July 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Kathryn Miyar, Florida Department of State, Mission San Luis 
Collections, 2100 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304, 
telephone (850) 245-6301, 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 Florida Department 
of State, Division of Historical Resources, Tallahassee, FL. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the Manasota 
Key Offshore site, Sarasota County, FL.
    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 the Florida 
Department of State, Division of Historical Resources professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Miccosukee Tribe of 
Indians; Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole 
Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa 
Reservations); and The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma (hereafter referred 
to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    From 2016 to 2018, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 
individuals were removed from the Manasota Key Offshore site in 
Sarasota County, FL. In June 2016, the Florida Division of Historical 
Resources (DHR) Bureau of Archaeological Research (BAR) staff were 
notified of prehistoric human remains that had washed ashore on 
Manasota Key in Sarasota County. Underwater archeological staff 
investigated the incident and discovered the human remains were from an 
Archaic burial site (7,000 B.P.) now inundated offshore under the Gulf 
of Mexico. This site is legally protected under Chapter 267 and Section 
872.05, Florida Statutes, requiring state archeologists to preserve and 
protect the site from both human and natural impacts. Underwater 
archeological excavations were conducted by BAR from 2017 to 2018, in 
order to develop a protection plan for the underwater cemetery. These 
excavations resulted in the recovery of in situ remains representing 11 
individuals, including seven adults, two infants, and two prenates. No 
known individuals were identified. The 49 associated funerary objects 
include 10 fiber cordage fragments, one modified conch shell, two 
modified oyster drills, one shell pendant, and 35 wooden stake 
fragments.

Determinations Made by the Florida Department of State, Division of 
Historical Resources

    Officials of the Florida Department of State, Division of 
Historical Resources have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on contextual information and 
osteological analysis.
     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 49 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.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission in 1978, the land from which the Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal 
land of The Tribes.
     The Treaty with the Florida Tribes of Indians in 1823 
(Cession 118) and the Treaty with the Seminoles in 1832 (Cession 173) 
indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Tribes.

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 Kathryn 
Miyar, Florida Department of State, Mission San Luis Collections, 2100 
West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304, telephone (850) 245-6301, 
email [email protected], by July 10, 2020. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The 
Tribes may proceed.
    The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources 
is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: May 15, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-12553 Filed 6-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P