[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 199 (Monday, October 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62888-62889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22517]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034715; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan State Historic 
Preservation Office, Lansing, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (Michigan 
SHPO) 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 Michigan SHPO. 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 Michigan SHPO at the address in this notice by 
November 16, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hambacher, Staff 
Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Economic 
Development Corporation, 300 N Washington Square, Lansing, MI 48913, 
telephone (517) 243-9513, 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 Michigan State 
Historic Preservation Office, Lansing, MI. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Genesee, Oakland, and 
Washtenaw Counties, MI.
    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 Michigan SHPO professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the 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); Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; 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 (Mille Lacs Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, 
Michigan (previously listed as Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 
of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan and 
the Wyandotte Nation. The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of 
Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Citizen 
Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, 
Wisconsin; 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; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota (Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond du Lac Band; Grand Portage 
Band; Leech Lake Band; White Earth Band); Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Prairie Band 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; 
Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North 
Dakota were invited to consult but did not participate. Hereafter, all 
Indian Tribes listed in this section are referred to as ``The Consulted 
and Invited Tribes.''

History and Description of the Human Remains

    In the summer of 1960, human remains and associated funerary 
objects representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from the 
Warner School site (20GS6) in Genesee County, MI. A researcher from the 
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA) 
excavated the multi-component site which is located in Flint Township 
on a high terrace overlooking the Flint River. One burial was 
identified with the individual interred as a partly articulated in a 
bundle burial. The human remains date to the Late Woodland Period (A.D. 
500-1400) based on two ceramic sherds collected near the burial pit.
    The human remains include one adult, 45+ years old, female with 
osteoarthritis in her vertebrae and a healed fracture of the right 
clavicle. No known individual was identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are one lot of ceramic sherds; and one lot of chert 
flakes, fire cracked rock, pebbles, and cobbles.
    On May 22, 1935, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the Leeson site (20OK01) in Oakland 
County, MI. A construction crew working on a Civilian Conservation 
Corps project encountered human remains while removing earth from the 
crown of a hill on the shore of Cass Lake. Faculty from the UMMAA were 
contacted to conduct a salvage excavation at the site. The burial was 
determined to be an isolated secondary bundle burial. The human remains 
were in extremely fragile condition and red

[[Page 62889]]

sand had been packed inside the cranium. (Two additional fragmentary 
bundle burials with red ochre were noted at the site, but they were not 
transferred to the UMMAA.) The human remains broadly date to pre-
contact (9150 B.C. to A.D.1640) based on mortuary treatment.
    The human remains are one adult, 40-55 years old, indeterminate 
sex. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    On May 11, 1933, human remains and associated funerary objects 
representing, at minimum, four individuals were removed from the GL-539 
(or M-17) site (20WA5) in Washtenaw County, MI. Workers unearthed the 
burials while digging a sewer trench near Michigan State Highway M-17. 
They contacted faculty from the UMMAA to excavate the site. UMMAA 
records indicate the burials were located in a defined pit. Human 
remains from an infant buried at the site were located under a flat 
boulder within the burial pit. The human remains date to the Late 
Woodland Period (A.D. 500-1400) based on diagnostic artifacts 
associated with the site.
    The human remains include one infant 0-6 months old; one 
adolescent, 14-17 years old; one adult, possibly female; and one adult, 
35-50 years old, male. No known individuals were identified. The four 
associated funerary objects are one lot of raccoon maxillary bone 
fragments; one lot of charcoal; one lot of fossil shells; and one lot 
of ceramic sherds.

Determinations Made by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

    Officials of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on cranial morphology, dental 
traits, accession documentation, and archeological context.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of six individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the six 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 Citizen Potawatomi Nation, 
Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Hannahville 
Indian Community, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of 
Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the 
Potawatomi, Michigan (previously listed as Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); 
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band 
Potawatomi Nation (previously listed as Prairie Band of Potawatomi 
Nation, Kansas); and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
     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 
Consulted and Invited Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Consulted 
and Invited 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 and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Michael 
Hambacher, Staff Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office, 
Michigan Economic Development Corporation, 300 N Washington Square, 
Lansing, MI 48913, telephone (517) 243-9513, email 
[email protected], by November 16, 2022. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to The Consulted and 
Invited Tribes may proceed.
    The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted and Invited Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: October 5, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-22517 Filed 10-14-22; 8:45 am]
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