[Federal Register: August 14, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 48623-48624]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14au03-75]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, U.S.
Army, Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Fort Polk, LA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the
U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Joint Readiness Training Center
and Fort Polk, Fort Polk, LA. The human remains were removed from a
site on the Fort Polk Military Reservation in Sabine Parish, LA.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3).
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. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations within this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by U.S.
Department of Defense, U.S. Army professional staff, including
individuals from the Environmental Center; U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, St. Louis District; and Center of Engineering and Research
Laboratory, in consultation with representatives of the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma;
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma;
[[Page 48624]]
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Coushatta
Tribe of Louisiana; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana;
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Poarch Band of Creek
Indians of Alabama; and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana.
The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk has determined
that the human remains reported in this notice cannot be culturally
affiliated with an Indian tribe as defined in NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3001
(7), and are considered culturally unidentifiable. Until final
promulgation of Section 10.11 of NAGPRA regulations, and according to
its charter, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Review Committee is responsible for recommending to the Secretary of
the Interior specific actions for the disposition of culturally
unidentifiable human remains. In December 2001, the Joint Readiness
Training Center and Fort Polk proposed to repatriate one set of
culturally unidentifiable human remains to the Caddo Indian Tribe of
Oklahoma. The proposal was considered by the Review Committee at its
May 31-June 2, 2002, meeting.
An August 30, 2002, letter from the National Park Service to the
Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, conveyed the Review
Committee's recommendation that disposition of the human remains to the
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed following publication of a
notice of inventory completion in the Federal Register. This notice
fulfills that requirement.
In 1977 or 1978, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from the Eagle Hill Training Airstrip site,
Fort Polk Military Reservation, Sabine Parish, LA. The Airstrip site
was excavated under the direction of Dr. Frank Servello of the
University of Southwestern Louisiana. The human remains, consisting of
one tooth, were found in a spoils pile adjacent to the Airstrip site.
Dr. Robert Corruccini, professor of paleontological anthropology at
Southern Illinois University, identified the tooth as probably being
from a prehistoric Native American. No known individual was identified.
No associated funerary objects are present.
Officials of the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of one individual of
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Joint Readiness Training
Center and Fort Polk also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
3001 (2), there is no relationship of shared group identity that can
reasonably be traced between the Native American human remains and any
present-day Indian tribe or group. In accordance with the
recommendations of the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Review Committee, the disposition of the Native American
human remains will be to the Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact James D.
Grafton, Fort Polk Cultural Resources Management Program, 1645 23rd
Street, Building 2515, Fort Polk, LA 71459, telephone (337) 531-6011,
before September 15, 2003. Repatriation of the human remains to the
Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk is responsible
for notifying the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte
Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Coushatta Tribe of
Louisiana; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Mississippi Band of
Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama;
and Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of Louisiana that this notice has been
published.
Dated: July 17, 2003.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 03-20759 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]
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