[Federal Register: November 5, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 214)]
[Notices]               
[Page 55956-55957]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05no01-76]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

 
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Control of the California State 
Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), Sacramento, CA, and in the 
Possession of the Department of Anthropology, San Francisco State 
University, San Francisco, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the control of the California State Department of 
Transportation (CALTRANS), Sacramento, CA, and in the possession of the 
Department of Anthropology, San Francisco State University, San 
Francisco, CA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by San 
Francisco State University Department of Anthropology and CALTRANS 
professional staffs in consultation with representatives of the Indians 
of the Graton Rancheria of California.
    During 1965-1966, human remains representing a minimum of 19 
individuals were recovered from site CA-MRN-***, Marin County, CA, 
during legally authorized salvage excavations for CALTRANS conducted by 
C. McNeath, T. King, and M. Moratto of San Francisco State University, 
San Francisco, CA. No known individuals were identified. The 104 
associated funerary objects include flaked stone, groundstone, bone 
tools, chert scrapers, 1 glass scraper, shell ornaments, and baked 
clay.
    Site CA-MRN-192 is located within documented Coast Miwok territory. 
Based on the associated funerary objects, these individuals have been 
identified as Native American. Based on the artifact assemblage, site 
CA-MRN-192 was occupied from Middle Horizon to Late Horizon Phase II 
(circa B.C.E. 2000-1500) to Euro-American contact. Based on 
archeological and linguistic research, these human remains and 
associated funerary objects may likely represent Penutian-speaking 
Coast Miwok inhabitants of Marin County, CA. Consultation with 
representatives of the Indians of Graton Rancheria of California 
confirms that these human remains and associated funerary objects are 
affiliated with the Coast Miwok represented by the Indians of the 
Graton Rancheria of California.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of CALTRANS 
have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains 
listed above represent the physical remains of a minimum of 19 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of CALTRANS also 
have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 104 objects 
listed above 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. Lastly, officials of CALTRANS have determined 
that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity that can be reasonably traced between these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Indians 
of the Graton Rancheria of California.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Indians of the Graton 
Rancheria of California. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should contact Tina Biorn, California 
State Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 942874 (M.S. 27), 
Sacramento, CA 94274-0001, telephone (916) 653-0013, before December 5, 
2001. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the Indians of the Graton Rancheria of California may begin after

[[Page 55957]]

that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: September 28, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-27705 Filed 11-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S