[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75653-75654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26802]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

 [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034980; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: North Carolina Office of State 
Archaeology, Raleigh, NC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology 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 North 
Carolina Office of State Archaeology. 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 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 the North 
Carolina Office of State Archaeology at the address in this notice by 
January 9, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily McDowell, Office of State 
Archaeology, 215 West Lane Street, Raleigh, NC 27616, telephone (919) 
715-5599, 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 North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, Raleigh, 
NC. The human remains were removed from the Iotla site (31MA77) in 
Macon County, NC.
    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 the North 
Carolina Office of State Archaeology professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee 
Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 2009, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed from 31MA77, the Iotla site, in Macon County, NC. These 
human remains were removed during excavations conducted by TRC 
Environmental Corporation on behalf of the Macon County Airport 
Authority pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 306108 (also known as Section 106 of 
the National Historic Preservation Act), prior to a runway expansion 
project.
    In February of 2009, TRC Environmental Corporation conducted 
archeological data recovery excavations for the airport runway 
expansion and improvements project. During those excavations, 97 
probable human burials were identified and avoided. Five human 
cremations (Features 6010, 8286, 8971, 10860 [probable], and 11213) 
believed by TRC to be non-burial, burnt faunal features were removed 
during these excavations. In 2012, during analysis of the faunal 
assemblage, the analyst identified these burned features as human 
cremations, at which point TRC contacted the State Archaeologist and 
the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Historic Preservation 
Officer for guidance. The State Archaeologist, in turn, notified the 
Executive Director of the Commission of Indian Affairs of the 
discovery. Not until January of 2020 were the human remains received by 
the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology pursuant to North 
Carolina General Statute 70 Article 3, the Unmarked Human Burial and 
Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act. Upon receiving the human 
remains, staff from the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology 
Research Center, began collecting information on the human remains and 
consulting on them. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Data recovery at 31MA77, the Iotla site, provided archeological 
evidence of a long occupation extending from the Early Archaic period 
to the Late Qualla phase Historic Cherokee. Based on archeological 
information, these cremations are associated with the Middle Woodland, 
Connestee phase village. It is well known that the Cherokee occupied 
this area long before European contact, and the Late Qualla phase 
Historic Cherokee component of the site supports this affiliation.

Determinations Made by the Office of State Archaeology

    Officials of the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology has 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of five individuals of 
Native American ancestry.

[[Page 75654]]

     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 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 Emily 
McDowell, North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, 215 West Lane 
Street, Raleigh, NC 27616, telephone (919) 715-5599, email 
[email protected], by January 9, 2023. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to The Tribes may proceed.
    The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology is responsible for 
notifying The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 30, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-26802 Filed 12-8-22; 8:45 am]
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