[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54504-54505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14467]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038206; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Washington University, 
Department of Anthropology, Bellingham, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Western Washington University (WWU) 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 or 
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from 45-WH-29 in Whatcom 
County, WA.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after July 31, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Judith Pine, Western Washington University, Department 
of Anthropology, Arntzen Hall 340, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 
98225, telephone (360) 650-4783, 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 the 
WWU, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, 
including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or 
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were 
removed from Whatcom County, WA. Students from WWU worked at site 45-
WH-29 under the direction of WWU professor Dr. Garland Grabert in the 
fall of 1970 and the spring of 1971. Initially focusing on an adjacent 
site 45-WH-11, additional fieldwork occurred at 45-WH-29 when human 
remains were observed eroding out of a nearby bluff. Notes indicate 
surface collection was conducted. A total of six associated funerary 
objects are present (three lots and three objects). The six associated 
funerary objects consist of one lot fire broken rock, one lot charcoal, 
one lot level bag with lithics and bone, one sandstone abrader, one 
bone point, and one barbed harpoon point.
    A minimum of one individual was reported in the original NAGPRA 
Inventory in 1995; one subadult (estimated at 9-10 years (surface 
collected)). During the WWU 2018-2020 Repatriation and Rehousing 
Project, additional ancestral remains were found in the ``faunal'' bags 
from 1970-71, and three additional associated funerary objects were 
identified by Cultural Specialist, R. Tom. The newly identified remains 
likely represent one adult individual. The original NAGPRA Inventory 
represents a subadult, but the newly identified remains are those of an 
adult. Therefore, we are considering this to be an additional 
individual. No known individuals were identified. No hazardous 
chemicals are known to have been used to treat the human remains while 
in the custody of WWU.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in 
this notice.

Determinations

    The WWU has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
     A total of six associated funerary objects 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 connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Lummi 
Tribe of the Lummi Reservation and the Nooksack Indian Tribe.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
authorized representative identified in this notice under 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after July 31, 
2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the WWU 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. The WWU is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to 
the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.


[[Page 54505]]


    Dated: June 24, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-14467 Filed 6-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P