[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 16790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04990]



[[Page 16790]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037567; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


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

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Lisa Bright, Branch Chief District 3, Cultural Resources 
(South), California State Department of Transportation, 703 B Street 
Marysville, CA 95901, telephone (530) 812-4569, 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 
Caltrans. 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 the California 
Department of Transportation.

Description

    An archaeological investigation of CA-SAC-133, and collection and 
analysis of cultural materials was performed by Far Western 
Anthropological Research Group Inc. (Far Western) under contract with 
Caltrans in December of 1991. The studies were reported on in a 
Historic Property Survey Report (HPSR) prepared by Daryl Noble 
(Caltrans) dated June 1991 and, at the conclusion of Far Western's 
analytical studies, in a June 1992. Mr. William (``Bill'') J. Franklin, 
Sr. (Miwok) was on site during archaeological testing. An extremely 
robust and wide ranging collection of material was retrieved from the 
site. The seven burials were found in the units excavated in the 
southernmost site area. These ancestors were left in situ, or reburied 
before the completion of the field work. The materials have been 
curated at University of California, Davis.

Cultural Affiliation

    The 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 or Native Hawaiian organizations. The following 
types of information were used to reasonably trace the relationship: 
anthropological, archeological, geographical, historical, oral 
traditional, and expert opinion.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, Caltrans has determined that:
     The 1,444 catalog entries 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 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 associated funerary objects in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after April 8, 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 associated funerary objects are 
considered a single request and not competing requests. Caltrans 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 (88 FR 86452, December 13, 2023, effective January 12, 
2024) but in the older format. 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 29, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-04990 Filed 3-7-24; 8:45 am]
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