[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 175 (Monday, September 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55851-55852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19616]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034489; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: History Colorado, Formerly 
Colorado Historical Society, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: History Colorado, formerly Colorado Historical Society, 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 History Colorado. 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 History Colorado at the address in this 
notice by October 12, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenys Echavarri, History Colorado, 
1200 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203, telephone (303) 866-4531, 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 History Colorado, 
Denver, CO. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from site 5LP.2223 in La Plata County, CO.
    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 by History 
Colorado professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla 
Apache Nation, New Mexico; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah; 
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (previously listed as Pueblo of San Juan); 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Zia, New Mexico; Santo Domingo Pueblo (previously listed as Kewa 
Pueblo, New Mexico, and as Pueblo of Santo Domingo); Southern Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; 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

    From 2018 to 2020, human remains representing, at minimum, 19 
individuals were removed from archeological site 5LP.2223 in La Plata 
County, CO, by Alpine Archaeological Consultants, during archeological 
monitoring and excavations as part of the US 550/160 South Connection 
project, a highway construction project jointly undertaken by the 
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA). The site is in

[[Page 55852]]

the CDOT right of way. Under the Colorado Unmarked Human Graves Statute 
(Colo. Rev. Stat. sections 24-80-1301-1305), Native American human 
remains found on state or private land in Colorado fall under the 
jurisdiction of the Office of the State Archaeologist. This matter was 
assigned Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Case Number 
340. No known individuals were identified. The 12 associated funerary 
objects are one deer phalanx, two lots of fish bones, one lot of shell 
bead fragments, and eight lots of ceramics.
    In 2002, consultation regarding the US 550/160 project was 
initiated by CDOT with representatives of The Consulted Tribes with an 
established interest in La Plata County, CO. The Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado indicated their cultural affiliation 
with the proposed areas of construction and entered into agreements 
with CDOT, FHWA, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the 
Colorado State Historic Preservation Office. During these 
consultations, it was determined that inadvertently discovered human 
remains from this project would be culturally affiliated with the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; and the Southern Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Tribes'').

Determinations Made by History Colorado

    Officials of History Colorado have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 19 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 12 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 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 Glenys Echavarri, History Colorado, 1200 
Broadway, Denver, CO 80203, telephone (303) 866-4531, email 
[email protected], by October 12, 2022. 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.
    History Colorado is responsible for notifying The Consulted Tribes 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 1, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-19616 Filed 9-9-22; 8:45 am]
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