[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 76 (Thursday, April 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21346-21347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08399]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031755; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of 
Transportation, Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The California Department of Transportation 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 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 May 24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Sarah M. Allred, Native American Cultural Studies Branch 
Chief, Cultural Studies Office, California Department of 
Transportation, 1120 N Street, MS-27, Sacramento, CA 95814, telephone 
(916)-956-5506, 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 California State University, Sacramento, CA. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects

[[Page 21347]]

were removed from site CA-SAC-166 in Sacramento 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 National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made jointly by 
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California State 
University, Sacramento professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle 
Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; and the United Auburn 
Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California. The Buena Vista 
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians 
of California; Jackson Band of Miwuk Indians [previously listed as 
Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California]; Wilton Rancheria, 
California; and four non-federally recognized Indian groups--the Miwok 
Tribe of the El Dorado Rancheria; Nashville-Eldorado Rancheria; Nevada 
City Rancheria; and the Tsi-akim Maidu--were invited to consult but did 
not participate. Hereafter, all the above entities are referred to as 
``The Consulted and Invited Tribes and Groups.''

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1959 and 1997, human remains representing, at minimum, 10 
individuals were removed from site CA-SAC-166 in Sacramento County, CA. 
The 1959-60 excavations were led by the State Indian Museum for the 
California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). The 1961-62 
excavations were led by the American River Junior College for the 
Department of Public Works, Division of Highways (now Caltrans). The 
1995 and 1997 excavations were led by PAR Environmental within 
Caltrans' right of way. Collections from CA-SAC-166 were placed in the 
custody of California State University, Sacramento in 1993, 1997, and 
the late 1990s. One child, six adults, and three individuals of 
undetermined age were identified. No known individuals were identified. 
The 7,069 associated funerary objects include: seven stone abraders, 
eight pieces of baked clay, 191 shell beads, 16 bifaces, one steel 
bolt, two brick fragments, one tin can, two pieces of chalk, one metal 
cap, 183 fragments of wood charcoal, 40 cores, 17 core tools, 479 
pieces of debitage, two discoidals, 10 edge modified flakes, five 
quartz crystals, one piece of mica, two expedient tools, one metal 
fastener, one antler fish spear, three flotation samples, six ground 
stone artifacts, 16 hammerstones, 36 handstones, 1,435 invertebrate 
remains, 46 metal fragments, seven metates, two metal nails, four net 
weights, three nut fragments, three haliotis shell ornaments, two 
pieces of plastic, one fiber, six stone pendants, five pestles, 34 
pieces of ochre, two polishing stones, 12 projectile points, 164 non-
cultural rocks, one piece of modified quartzite, two modified stones, 
one piece CCR, six scrapers, 408 glass sherds, one ceramic sherd, three 
plastic sherds, two pieces of shoe leather, four soil samples, two 
leather straps, two pieces of canvas, 106 thermally altered rocks, two 
unidentified stones, one metavolcanic flaked stone, three pieces of 
paper, one piece of redwood, one unidentified piece of plastic, 3,665 
vertebrate remains, four stone vessels, one steel washer, 56 worked 
bones, three worked shells, seven worked stones, and 30 pieces of 
worked historic era redwood.
    The distribution of human remains and three burials in disturbed 
contexts support the preponderance of evidence that the objects were 
displaced from their associated burials. The discovery of a formal 
burial and isolated human remains throughout contiguous archeological 
units and a possible cremation show that the site was used, in part, 
for interment.
    Chronological data from temporally diagnostic objects indicate CA-
SAC-166 was occupied from the Middle Period up until the protohistoric 
or historic periods. CA-SAC-166 lies within the historic 
ethnolinguistic boundaries of the Nisenan in an area known to have been 
a transitional territory used seasonally by both Valley and Foothill 
Nisenan groups. CA-SAC-166 is situated near two named Foothill Nisenan 
villages, Yodok and Yolimhu. During the historic period, Miwok groups 
were known to enter the area due to displacement and depopulation 
caused by the Mission system, disease, John Sutter's fort, and Euro-
American intrusions.

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 10 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 7,069 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 Buena 
Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok 
Indians of California; Jackson Band of Miwuk Indians [previously listed 
as Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California]; Shingle Springs 
Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), 
California; United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of 
California; and the Wilton Rancheria, California (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 M. Allred, Native American Cultural 
Studies Branch Chief, Cultural Studies Office, California Department of 
Transportation, 1120 N Street, MS-27, Sacramento, CA 95814, telephone 
(916)-956-5506, email [email protected], by May 24, 2021. 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. If joined to a request from one or more of The 
Tribes, the following non-federally recognized Indian groups may 
receive transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects: the Nashville-Eldorado Miwok Tribe, Nevada City 
Rancheria, and Tsi-akim Maidu.
    The California Department of Transportation is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted and Invited Tribes and Groups that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: April 15, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-08399 Filed 4-21-21; 8:45 am]
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