[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 18581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06476]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035560; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Virginia Commonwealth University, 
Department of Forensic Science and Anthropology Program, Richmond, VA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Virginia Commonwealth University, Department 
of Forensic Science and Anthropology Program, has completed an 
inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
Tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and any Indian Tribe. The human remains were 
removed from the City of Richmond, VA.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after April 28, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Thomas Briggs, Assistant Vice President for Safety and Risk 
Management, Virginia Commonwealth University, 700 West Grace Street, 
Suite 3100, P.O. Box 842501, Richmond, VA 23284-2501, telephone (804) 
827-2440, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of 
Virginia Commonwealth University. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional 
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held 
by Virginia Commonwealth University.

Description

    Human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals were 
removed from Richmond, VA. In February of 1975, as part of the 
installation of Interstate 95 through the City of Richmond, 
archeologists from Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of 
Archaeology excavated two burial features (Burial 1 and Burial 2). 
Following the excavation, these human remains were transported to 
Virginia Commonwealth University. In January of 2019, a review of the 
collection inventory identified the excavated human remains and 
archeological materials. The University's Department of Forensic 
Science has determined that these nine individuals are Native American 
ranging in age from 34-38 weeks to adult. Based on pottery sherd 
analysis, these human remains are dated to the Late Woodland period 
(circa A.D. 900-1600).

Aboriginal Land

    The human remains in this notice were removed from a known 
geographic location. This location is the aboriginal land of one or 
more Indian Tribes. The following information was used to identify the 
aboriginal land: a treaty

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, Virginia Commonwealth 
University, Department of Forensic Science and Anthropology Program, 
has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of nine individuals of Native American ancestry.
     No relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably 
traced between the human remains and any Indian Tribe.
     The human remains described in this notice were removed 
from the aboriginal land of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe; Pamunkey 
Indian Tribe; and the Upper Mattaponi Tribe.

Requests for Disposition

    Written requests for disposition of the human remains in this 
notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 
ADDRESSES. Requests for disposition may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization, or who shows that the requestor is an aboriginal land 
Indian Tribe.
    Disposition of the human remains described in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after April 28, 2023. If competing requests 
for disposition are received, Virginia Commonwealth University must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to disposition. Requests 
for joint disposition of the human remains are considered a single 
request and not competing requests. Virginia Commonwealth University is 
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes 
identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9 and 
10.11.

    Dated: March 22, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-06476 Filed 3-28-23; 8:45 am]
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