[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 188 (Friday, September 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67357-67358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21393]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036678; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: California State 
University, Chico, Chico, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University, Chico (CSU 
Chico) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the 
definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural 
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in 
this notice. The cultural items were removed from Butte, Glenn, and 
Tehama Counties, CA.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after October 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Dawn Rewolinski, California State University, Chico, 400 W 
1st Street, Chico, CA 95929, telephone (530) 898-3090, 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 
California State University, Chico. 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 summary or related records held by 
California State University, Chico.

Description

Accession 385

    Seven cultural items were removed from the Big Chico Creek 
Ecological Reserve (BCCER) in Butte County, CA. BCCER is owned by CSU 
Chico.

[[Page 67358]]

Between 2001 and 2010, Drs. Frank Bayham and Antoinette Martinez of the 
CSU, Chico Anthropology Department led classes at several archeological 
sites at BCCER. In 2005, Dr. Martinez conducted test excavations with a 
class at BCCER-02, as part of a cooperative agreement with the 
Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California. The seven 
objects of cultural patrimony are seven oversized stone tools.

Cultural Affiliation

    The cultural items in this notice are connected to one or more 
identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a 
relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier 
groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were 
used to reasonably trace the relationship: anthropological, 
archeological, historical, and expert opinion obtained through Tribal 
consultation.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, California State University, Chico has determined that:
     The seven cultural items described above have ongoing 
historical, traditional, or cultural importance central, to the Native 
American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by an 
individual.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the cultural items and the Berry Creek 
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu 
Indians of California; Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, 
California; Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and the 
Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by 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.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after October 30, 2023. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, California State University, Chico must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a 
single request and not competing requests. California State University, 
Chico 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 10.8, 10.10, 
and 10.14.

    Dated: September 25, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-21393 Filed 9-28-23; 8:45 am]
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