[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 74984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20869]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038695; 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), the Western Washington University (WWU) has 
completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the associated 
funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in 
this notice. The associated funerary objects were removed from 45-WH-67 
in Whatcom County, WA.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after October 15, 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

    Three associated funerary objects have been newly identified during 
a recent repatriation and rehousing project. The three associated 
funerary objects consist of one wooden burial box, one lot of carbon 14 
samples, and one antler wedge. These items were newly identified in 
consultation with Lummi Nation Cultural Specialist, R. Tom. No 
hazardous chemicals are known to have been used to treat the associated 
funerary objects while in the custody of WWU.
    Western Washington State College signed a contract with Arcomm 
Construction Company, Inc. of Seattle in April of 1975 to conduct 
``salvage'' archaeology during the development of the Birch Bay sewage 
treatment facility. The project was led by Jeannette Gaston and Garland 
Grabert (WWU). Most of the work consisted of monitoring and salvage 
archaeology during construction activities throughout the summer of 
1975. A total of twenty-six test cuts were excavated within the 
pipeline right-of-way (Gaston and Grabert,1975).
    During this work, an intact cedar slab box burial was identified at 
site 45-WH-67. Analysis of the box burial was conducted, which included 
radiocarbon dating of a sample of the wood burial box (Lundy, 1977). 
The ancestral remains were previously repatriated to the Lummi Nation, 
however, the burial box, carbon 14 samples, and an antler wedge found 
with the box are present in the WWU collections.
    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 information, archaeological information, geographical 
information, historical information, and oral tradition.

Cultural Affiliation

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

Determinations

    The WWU has determined that:
     The three objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally 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 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 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 October 
15, 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.

    Dated: September 5, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-20869 Filed 9-12-24; 8:45 am]
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