[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77180-77181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21539]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038736; 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 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.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after October 21, 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 least, seven individuals have been 
identified. The 39 associated funerary objects are bone, stone and 
antler tools, carved bone, midden samples, and shells with red ochre.
    Three different projects (conducted in 1975, 1976, and 2010) 
related to excavation and monitoring of the Birch Bay Sewer line 
resulted in the human remains and associated funerary objects listed in 
this notice.
    In 1975, Western Washington State College signed a contract with 
Arcomm Construction Company, Inc. of Seattle to conduct ``salvage'' 
archaeology during the development of the Birch Bay sewage treatment 
facility. The project was led by Jeannette Gaston and

[[Page 77181]]

Garland Grabert (WWU). Most of the work consisted of monitoring and 
salvage archaeology during construction activities throughout the 
summer of 1975.
    The work conducted in 1976 was associated with, but separate from, 
the 1975 Birch Bay Sewage Treatment Plant Survey described above. 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) contracted 
with the Office of Public Archaeology at the University of Washington, 
who then subcontracted WWU, for reconnaissance and testing of the areas 
of Birch Bay State Park to be affected by developmental plans. Field 
operations, led by Garland Grabert and R.L. Spear, began on August 30 
and continued until September 17, 1976.
    In 2010, Drayton Archaeological Research (DAR) carried out 
monitoring and data recovery excavations at 45WH9. This effort was part 
of the mitigation for the installation of a sewer force main 
replacement in the road right-of-way by the Birch Bay Water and Sewer 
District. 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 seven individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 39 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 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 October 
21, 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 12, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-21539 Filed 9-19-24; 8:45 am]
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