[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7406-7407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01902]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031387; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Interior, Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region, Anchorage, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Alaska Region, Anchorage, AK (Alaska Region USFWS), 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 Alaska 
Region USFWS. 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 Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations 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 
Alaska Region USFWS at the address in this notice by March 1, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Jeremy M. Karchut, Regional Historic Preservation Officer, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region, 1011 East Tudor Road, 
MS-235, Anchorage, AK 99503, telephone (907) 786-3399, 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 U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Alaska Region, Anchorage, AK. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Chernabura Island, Aleutians East 
Borough, AK.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Vassar 
College, Department of Anthropology staff and the Alaska Region USFWS 
professional staff in consultation with the Agdaagux Tribe of King 
Cove; Native Village of Belkofski; Native Village of Unga; Pauloff 
Harbor Village; Pribilof Islands Aleut Communities of St. Paul & St. 
George Islands; Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point (previously listed 
as Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point Village) Qawalangin Tribe of 
Unalaska; and the Aleut Corporation, a non-federally acknowledged 
Indian group (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Entities'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1986 and 1994, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 
individuals were removed from site XSI-007 (as recorded in the Alaska 
Heritage Resource Survey database) on Chernabura Island, Aleutians East 
Borough, AK, by Dr. Lucy Johnson, a faculty member in the Department of 
Anthropology at Vassar College. Dr. Johnson was investigating an 
archeological site she named ``Periwinkle Mound,'' located on 
Chernabura Island. As the land in question is part of the Alaska 
Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, this investigation was conducted 
under several Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) permits 
issued by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Dr. Johnson observed numerous 
human remains eroding from the site and collected the remains from the 
surface. During her investigations, Dr. Johnson collected more than 200 
human bones and teeth. Dr. Johnson recovered most of the human remains 
in 1986 and 1988, near the shore. They have been in the physical 
custody of Vassar College since Dr. Johnson completed her fieldwork at 
the site in 1994.

[[Page 7407]]

    A preliminary inventory was completed by Dr. Johnson in 2013. 
Bioarcheologist Dr. Jess Beck conducted a detailed analysis of the 
human remains for Vassar College in 2020 and identified the minimum 
number of individuals. The individuals include eight adults and three 
subadults of unknown sex. No individuals have been identified. Although 
Unangan Aleut burials are often associated with a small number of 
utilitarian objects such as wedges and knives, as the human remains 
came from eroded contexts, no associated funerary objects have been 
identified.
    Radiocarbon dates from charcoal samples found at XSI-007 indicate 
that the site was occupied shortly before 2000 years ago. The 
Chernabura Island human remains are more likely than not Native 
American, and they are most closely affiliated with the modern Aleut 
people.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Alaska Region

    Officials of the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Alaska Region have determined that:
     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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove; Native 
Village of Belkofski; Native Village of Unga; Pauloff Harbor Village; 
and the Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point (previously listed as 
Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point Village) Qawalangin Tribe of 
Unalaska (hereafter referred to as ``The Indian 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Jeremy M. 
Karchut, Regional Historic Preservation Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Alaska Region, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS-235, Anchorage, AK 
99503, telephone (907) 786-3399, email [email protected], by March 
1, 2021. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to The Indian Tribes may proceed.
    The U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska 
Region is responsible for notifying The Consulted Entities and The 
Indian Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 14, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-01902 Filed 1-27-21; 8:45 am]
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