[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13359-13361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03572]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037405; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: California State University, 
Sacramento, Sacramento, 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), California State University, Sacramento has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes in this 
notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed 
from Sacramento County, CA.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after March 25, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Mark Wheeler, Chief of Staff to President Luke Wood, 
California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 
95819, telephone (916) 460-0490, 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, Sacramento. 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 California State University, Sacramento.

Description

    Associated funerary objects were removed from CA-SAC-16 (also known 
as the Bennett Site) in Sacramento County, CA, over a period of more 
than seven decades by several institutions, agencies, and individuals. 
Sacramento State's collections stem from a donation made to the 
University by the estates of Anthony Zallio and Charles McKee, a 1950s 
excavation by the University under the direction of Richard Reeve, 
collections transferred to the University in 1977 from American River 
College (excavation led by Charles Gebhardt), a 1971 excavation by the 
University led by Ann Peak, and a 1990 excavation by Far Western 
Anthropological Group who donated the collection to the University. 
Portions of the collection have been previously published in the 
Federal Register and repatriated to the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok 
Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California. An 
additional 338,273 associated funerary objects have been identified by 
the Tribe and consist of baked clay objects; faunal and floral remains; 
flaked and ground stones; historic materials; modified bones, shells, 
and stones; unmodified stones; ash, column, flotation, wood, and soil 
samples; pigments; quartz crystals; asphaltum; unidentified objects; 
and manuports. Of this number, at least 1,672 objects are currently 
missing, and California State University, Sacramento continues to look 
for them.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed

[[Page 13360]]

from site CA-SAC-26 (also known as Pujune) in Sacramento County, CA. 
These human remains and associated funerary objects came into the 
University's possession through excavations conducted in the 1950s 
under the direction of Richard Reeve and Clifford Curtice for the 
University; and donations made by the estates of Anthony Zallio and 
Charles McKee. Occupation of the site is estimated to have primarily 
occurred during the Late through Historic periods. The 1,837 associated 
funerary objects consist of baked clay objects; faunal and floral 
remains; flaked and ground stones; historic materials; modified bones, 
shells, and stones; unmodified stones; cordage fragments; ash; 
pigments; quartz crystals; and radiocarbon and pollen samples. Of this 
number, at least 20 objects are currently missing and California State 
University, Sacramento continues to look for them.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 68 individuals were removed 
from site CA-SAC-31 (also known as Sek) in Sacramento County, CA. These 
human remains and associated funerary objects came into the 
University's possession through excavations conducted in the 1960s and 
1970s under the direction of Jerald Johnson, John Beck, Ann Peak and 
Consiglio. Occupation of the site is estimated to have primarily 
occurred during the Middle through Historic periods. The 29,765 
associated funerary objects consist of baked clay objects; faunal and 
floral remains; flaked and ground stones; historic materials; modified 
bones, shells, and stones; unmodified stones; manuports; pigments; 
unidentified materials; and midden and ash samples. Of this number, at 
least 11 objects are currently missing and California State University, 
Sacramento continues to look for them.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 16 individuals were removed 
from site CA-SAC-32 (also known as Joe Mound) in Sacramento County, CA. 
These human remains and associated funerary objects came into the 
University's possession through excavations conducted in the 1950s 
under the direction of Richard Reeve. The age of the site is not known. 
The six associated funerary objects consist of faunal remains; modified 
bones; and flaked stones. Of this number, at least one object is 
currently missing and California State University, Sacramento continues 
to look for it. Additional objects may be missing, which may include 
other categories of artifacts not listed here.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 18 individuals were removed 
from site CA-SAC-192 (also known as Kadema) in Sacramento County, CA. 
These human remains and associated funerary objects came into the 
University's possession through excavations conducted by the University 
from 1959-1960 under the direction of William Beeson for a field school 
course; a 1977 transfer from American River College; miscellaneous 
small collections donated to the University by Inlow Cresta, David 
Boloyan and others; and a 1961 excavation led by William Olsen 
(collection donated to the University in the 1960s from the State 
Indian Museum). Occupation of the site is estimated to have primarily 
occurred during the Late through Historic periods. The 32,338 
associated funerary objects consist of baked clay objects; faunal and 
floral remains; flaked and ground stones; historic materials; modified 
bones, shells, and stones; unmodified stones; ash; textiles; basketry 
fragments; quartz crystals; pigments; unidentified materials; and soil 
samples. Of this number, at least 1,533 objects are currently missing 
and California State University, Sacramento continues to look for them.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed 
from site CA-SAC-199 in Sacramento County, CA. These human remains and 
associated funerary objects came into the University's possession 
through excavations conducted by the University in the 1950s and 1980s. 
Occupation of the site is estimated to have primarily occurred during 
the Late through Historic periods. The 15 associated funerary objects 
consist of faunal remains; flaked and ground stones; and modified 
shells, and stones. An unknown number of objects may be missing from 
the collection, including those that fall under different artifact 
categories than what is listed, and California State University, 
Sacramento continues to look for them.

Cultural Affiliation

    The human remains and associated funerary objects 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. The following types of information were 
used to reasonably trace the relationship: anthropological, 
archeological, folkloric, geographical, historical, kinship, 
linguistic, oral traditional, and expert opinion.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, California State 
University, Sacramento has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 104 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 402,234 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.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-
Wuk Indians of California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of 
California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson Band of 
Miwuk Indians; Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs 
Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; United Auburn Indian Community of 
the Auburn Rancheria of California; and the Wilton Rancheria, 
California.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations 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.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after March 25, 2024. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, California State 
University, Sacramento must determine the most appropriate requestor 
prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request 
and not competing requests. California State University, Sacramento is 
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes 
identified in this notice.
    This notice was submitted after the effective date of the revised 
regulations

[[Page 13361]]

(88 FR 86452, December 13, 2023, effective January 12, 2024). As the 
notice conforms to the mandatory format of the Federal Register and 
includes the required information, the National Park Service is 
publishing this notice as submitted.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: February 9, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-03572 Filed 2-21-24; 8:45 am]
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