[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 216 (Friday, November 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71090-71092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24686]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031097; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan State Police, Lansing, 
MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Michigan State Police (MSP) has completed an inventory of 
human remains, 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 any present-day 
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 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 
should submit a written request to the Michigan State Police. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains 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 should submit a written 
request with information in support of the request to the Michigan 
State Police at the address in this notice by December 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Hanna Friedlander, Human Remains Analyst, Michigan State 
Police, Intelligence Operations Division--Missing Persons Coordinator 
Unit, 7150 Harris Drive, Lansing, MI 48821, telephone (517) 242-5731, 
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 Michigan State Police, Lansing, MI. The human 
remains were removed from Frenchtown Charter Township, Monroe County 
and Jackson County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25

[[Page 71091]]

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. 
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 Michigan 
State Police professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; 
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (previously listed as Huron 
Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana; and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.

History and Description of the Remains

    On April 22, 2009, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Frenchtown Charter Township, Monroe 
County, MI (Frenchtown Twp.). MSP Monroe was dispatched to a private 
residence along the Lake Erie shoreline in Frenchtown Twp., on April 
22, 2009, following the reported finding of a possible human jaw laying 
in the sand on the lakeside. The homeowners had removed the mandible 
from the lakeside to their patio to protect it. Upon arrival, the 
officer examined the human remains, collected them, and took them to 
the Michigan State Police Northville Lab for assessment. The remains 
were determined to be human and sent to the University of North Texas 
Center for Human Identification (UNTCHI) for analysis. A sample of bone 
was taken for DNA analysis and extraction while at the UNTCHI. The 
human remains were returned to MSP Monroe on September 4, 2012. On 
March 13, 2013, the human remains were transferred to the Wayne County 
Medical Examiner's Office (WCMEO) in Detroit, MI. On December 16, 2019, 
Ms. Hanna Friedlander located the human remains at the WCMEO and 
transferred them to the MSP Headquarters in Lansing, MI, where they are 
known as MSP 28-1233-09.
    Based on the robustness of the mandible and the bilobate chin, the 
mandible was determined to be male. The teeth showed pronounced 
occlusal wear, most likely from a diet high in coarse materials. The 
clasis on the lingual side of the mandible was minimal, suggesting a 
younger individual. The pronounced parabolic arch, in combination with 
the dental wear, yielded an assessment that the individual was of 
Native American descent. This determination was made by John A. 
Servello, BA, and overseen by Dr. H. Gill-King, D-ABFA. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    On July 22, 2019, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from their resting spot in Jackson County, MI. 
The remains were transported to Michigan State University for forensic 
anthropological assessment, which was completed by MA student Alex 
Groots and Dr. Joseph Hefner, D-ABFA. On October 10, 2019, the human 
remains were returned to the Michigan State Police, where they are 
known as FA020-19.
    The recovered human remains consist of 13 maxillary and 11 
mandibular fragments, fragmentary cranium and mandible, seven 
approximately unidentifiable cranial fragments, four fragmentary left 
ribs, four unsided rib fragments, two fragmentary cervical vertebrae, 
one fragmentary thoracic vertebra, one left clavicle fragment, one 
unsided scapula fragment, the shaft of the left tibia, the left 
navicular, and approximately 17 unidentifiable post-cranial fragments. 
Analysis of the human remains indicate that the individual was an adult 
male over the age of 50. The cranial features include a large mastoid 
process, blunt supraorbital margins, and a robust glabella (Buikstra 
and Ubelaker 1994); this is confirmed via a logistic regression 
equation (Walker 2008). The age of the individual was determined via 
the complete obliteration of the transverse palatine suture, in 
combination with the complete eruption of all third molars and 
extensive tooth wear. Based on a three-group discriminant function 
analysis, the individual exhibits macromorphoscopic traits most similar 
to those of Native Americans. In addition, the dentition of this 
individual is characteristic of Native American ancestry. The taphonomy 
of the human remains indicates they had been buried for a long time. No 
known individual was identified. The 22 associated funerary objects are 
seven sherds of cord-impressed pottery, three worked stones, and 12 
assorted fire-cracked rocks. The funerary objects are consistent with 
prehistoric Native American burials.

Determinations Made by the Michigan State Police

    Officials of the Michigan State Police have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on the dental occlusal wear, 
the post-mortem interval as indicated by the shells, mollusks, and 
other aquatic indications left on the mandible, and a three-group 
discriminant function analysis using macromorphic traits, in addition 
to dental characteristics including shovel shaped incisors and extreme 
tooth wear.
     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 22 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 any present-day Indian Tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of 
the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana 
(previously listed as Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's 
Reservation, Montana); Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Traverse 
Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian 
Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac 
Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du 
Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa 
Indians, Michigan; Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana; 
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-
she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota (Six component reservations: Bois Forte Band (Nett 
Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; Mille 
Lacs Band; White Earth Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the 
Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); 
Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan 
and Indiana; Prairie Band

[[Page 71092]]

Potawatomi Nation (previously listed as Prairie Band of Potawatomi 
Nation, Kansas); Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw 
Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as 
Seneca Nation of New York); Seneca-Cayuga Nation (previously listed as 
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma); Shawnee Tribe; Sokaogon Chippewa 
Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin; Tonawanda Band of Seneca 
(previously listed as Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York); 
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; and the 
Wyandotte Nation (hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed 
is the aboriginal land of The Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains 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 should submit a written request with information 
in support of the request to Hanna Friedlander, Human Remains Analyst, 
Michigan State Police, Intelligence Operations Division--Missing 
Persons Coordinator Unit, 7150 Harris Drive, Lansing, MI 48821, 
telephone (517) 242-5731, email [email protected], by December 
7, 2020. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the Monroe County human remains to The 
Tribes may proceed.
    The Michigan State Police is responsible for notifying The Tribes 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 22, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-24686 Filed 11-5-20; 8:45 am]
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