[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 96 (Thursday, May 20, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27473-27474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10651]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031924; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Edge of the Cedars State Park 
Museum, Blanding, UT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum 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 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 Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum. 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 Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum at the address 
in this notice by June 21, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Chris Hanson, Manager, Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, 
660 W 400 N, Blanding, UT 84511-4000, telephone (435) 678-2238, 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 Edge of the Cedars 
State Park Museum, Blanding, UT. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Edge of the Cedars Site 42SA700, San 
Juan County, UT.
    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 and associated funerary 
objects was made by Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New 
Mexico (previously listed as Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Southern 
Paiute Tribe, Santa Clara Pueblo, Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (previously 
listed as Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, 
New Mexico, & Utah); and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1967 and 1987, human remains representing, at minimum, 12 
individuals were removed from Edge of the Cedars Site 42SA700, San Juan 
County, UT. Museum archives indicate that the individuals were removed 
from an enormous depression under a large rubble mound during several 
in-house excavations. Additional intensive excavations were conducted 
on the site by Weber State College and Brigham Young University between 
1969 and 1972, focusing on the rubble mound and depression, which were 
later recognized as a great house and great kiva, respectively. The 
human remains consist of eight adults, three juveniles, and one infant; 
all are of unknown sex. No known individuals were identified. The 28 
associated funerary objects are sixteen fossil shells, seven pottery 
sherds, one bag of faunal bone, one stone bead, one bag of pigment, one 
bag of eggshell fragments, and one copper bell.

Determinations Made by the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

    Officials of the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on their discovery location 
within a prehistoric Native American architectural feature.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 12 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 28 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 or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico, & Utah.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Navajo 
Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah.

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 Chris 
Hanson, Manager, Edge

[[Page 27474]]

of the Cedars State Park Museum, 660 W 400 N, Blanding, UT 84511-4000, 
telephone (435) 678-2238, email [email protected], by June 21, 2021. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah may proceed.
    The Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 6, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-10651 Filed 5-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P