[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 129 (Monday, July 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40314-40315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14399]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030388; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of 
Transportation, Sacramento, CA, and Fowler Museum at the University of 
California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The California Department of Transportation and the Fowler 
Museum at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have 
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 a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
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 and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request to the California Department of 
Transportation. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the California Department of Transportation 
at the address in this notice by August 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Sarah Allred, California Department of Transportation, P.O. 
Box 942874 MS 27, Sacramento, CA 94271-0001, telephone (916) 653-0013, 
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 California 
Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA, and in the physical 
custody of the Fowler Museum at the University of California Los 
Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Batiquitos Lagoon, San Diego County, CA.
    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

[[Page 40315]]

National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made on behalf of 
the California Department of Transportation by the Fowler Museum at 
UCLA professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, 
California; Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of 
California (Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of 
the Barona Reservation, California; Viejas (Baron Long) Group of 
Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation, 
California); Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California; Iipay 
Nation of Santa Ysabel, California (previously listed as Santa Ysabel 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa Ysabel Reservation); 
Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit 
Reservation, California; Jamul Indian Village of California; La Posta 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, 
California; Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita 
Reservation, California; Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians 
of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California; Pechanga Band of Luiseno 
Mission Indians of the Pechanga Reservation, California; Rincon Band of 
Luiseno Mission Indians of Rincon Reservation, California; San Pasqual 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California; Sycuan Band of the 
Kumeyaay Nation; and the San Luis Rey Band of Luiseno Indians, a non-
federally recognized Indian group (hereafter referred to as ``The 
Consulted Tribes and Groups'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1960 and 1961, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from Batiquitos Lagoon in San Diego County, 
CA. They were excavated by R. H. Crabtree and Claude Warren as part of 
the UCLA Archaeological Survey under contract with the State Division 
of Beaches and Parks (now the Department of Parks and Recreation) for 
the Division of Highways (now the California Department of 
Transportation). The excavation site was in the proposed freeway 
(referred to at time of excavation as Highway 101, but now is 
Interstate 5) right-of-way. The collection was analyzed at UCLA and 
transferred to the Fowler Museum at UCLA for curation. Human remains 
consist of one sub-adult female individual and fragmentary human 
remains from a second individual (age/sex unknown). No known 
individuals were identified. The 14 associated funerary objects are 11 
unmodified animal bones, one unmodified shell, one shell bead, and one 
soil sample. (Despite an exhaustive search by Fowler Museum staff, 
currently, eight additional unmodified animal bones among the 
associated funerary objects are absent.)
    Radiocarbon dates between 5340 and 1940 B.C. obtained from two 
shell samples place the earliest occupation of the Batiquitos Lagoon 
site in the Early Holocene. That occupation was followed by a temporary 
abandonment of coastal sites due to strong environmental changes that 
resulted in the silting of the lagoon and the depletion of natural 
resources. Oral history of the Kumeyaay describes their oceanic origins 
and movements on the landscape. Over time, as environmental and social 
stresses occurred, coastal groups likely became interrelated with 
inland groups and relied upon each other. These relationships are 
reflected in their song cycles and sand paintings, as well as in the 
archeological record. The Kumeyaay locate Batiquitos within their 
traditional aboriginal territory. Moreover, geographical, oral 
traditional, archeological, ethnographic, and linguistic lines of 
evidence all support the existence of a cultural affiliation of the 
present-day Kumeyaay with the human remains listed in this notice.

Determinations Made by the California Department of Transportation

    Officials of the California Department of Transportation have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 14 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), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Campo 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, 
California; Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of 
California (Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of 
the Barona Reservation, California; Viejas (Baron Long) Group of 
Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation, 
California); Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California; Iipay 
Nation of Santa Ysabel, California (previously listed as Santa Ysabel 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa Ysabel Reservation); 
Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit 
Reservation, California; Jamul Indian Village of California; La Posta 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, 
California; Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita 
Reservation, California; Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians 
of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California; San Pasqual Band of 
Diegueno Mission Indians of California; and the Sycuan Band of the 
Kumeyaay Nation (hereafter referred to as ``The 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Sarah Allred, California Department of 
Transportation, P.O. Box 942874 MS 27, Sacramento, CA 94271-0001, 
telephone (916) 653-0013, email [email protected], by August 5, 
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 California Department of Transportation is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted Tribes and Groups that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: May 27, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-14399 Filed 7-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P