[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61144-61145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16704]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038348; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of 
Conservation and Environment, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and in response to claims from the Chickasaw 
Nation dated December 22, 2023, the Tennessee Department of 
Conservation and Environment, Division of Archaeology (TDEC-TDOA) has 
completed an inventory of human remains from Benton County, Tennessee 
and has determined in consultation that there is a cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after August 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Phillip R. Hodge, Tennessee Department of Environment and 
Conservation, Division of Archaeology, 1216 Foster Avenue, Cole 
Building #3, Nashville, TN 37243, telephone (615) 626-2025, 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 
TDEC-TDOA, 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 eight individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

``Eva Mo #6,'' Benton County, TN

    Ancestral remains of at minimum four individuals were donated to 
the TDEC-TDOA on March 9, 1989. No records exist as to the timing, 
donor, or circumstances of this donation. The specific geographical 
location of this site was originally reported to National NAGPRA as 
``unknown.'' The Chickasaw Nation claimed these ancestors on December 
22, 2023, and consultation took place on May 2, 2024. In consultation, 
The Chickasaw Nation requested that the geographical location be 
updated to Benton County, Tennessee. There is no known exposure to 
hazardous substances or treatments.

Cypress Creek Area, Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park, Benton County, 
TN

    Ancestral remains of at minimum one individual were donated to the 
TDEC-TDOA on September 8, 1990. No records exist as to the timing, 
donor, or circumstances of this donation. The specific geographical 
location of this site was originally reported to National NAGPRA only 
as ``Cypress Creek, NBSP.'' The Chickasaw Nation claimed

[[Page 61145]]

these ancestors on December 22, 2023, and consultation took place on 
May 2, 2024. In consultation, The Chickasaw Nation requested that the 
geographical location be updated to Benton County, Tennessee. There is 
no known exposure to hazardous substances or treatments.

Tennessee River Near Big Sandy, Benton County, TN

    Ancestral remains of at minimum one individual were donated to the 
TDEC-TDOA in June 2008 by a private individual. No further records 
exist as to the timing or circumstances of this donation. This ancestor 
had not been previously reported to National NAGPRA, but was identified 
during TDEC-TDOA inventory efforts in 2024 and presented to The 
Chickasaw Nation in consultation on May 2, 2024. In consultation, The 
Chickasaw Nation requested that this ancestor be included in the 
current claim. There is no known exposure to hazardous substances or 
treatments.

Site U-3-T and U-12-T, Benton County, TN

    In 2021, the TDEC-TDOA accepted donation of a collection of 
artifacts from more than 30 sites located in Tennessee. During curation 
efforts in January 2024, ancestral remains were identified within 
surface collected artifacts from two Benton County sites. These remains 
include a minimum of one individual per site. These ancestors had not 
been previously reported to National NAGPRA. In consultation on May 2, 
2024, The Chickasaw Nation requested that these ancestors be included 
in the current claim.
    Hazardous substances or treatments consisting of rat poison were 
observed within the donated storage containers.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
reasonably identified by the geographical location of the human remains 
in this notice.

Determinations

    TDEC-TDOA has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of eight individuals of Native American ancestry.
     There is a connection between the human remains described 
in this notice and The Chickasaw Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 described in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after August 29, 2024. If competing requests 
for repatriation are received, TDEC-TDOA must determine the most 
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. TDEC-TDOA 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.

    Dated: July 17, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-16704 Filed 7-29-24; 8:45 am]
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