[Federal Register: January 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 9)]
[Notices]
[Page 2928-2929]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ja01-125]

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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 Possession of the Utah Museum of
Natural History, Salt Lake City, UT, and in the Control of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado
Region, Salt Lake City, UT

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 possession of the Utah Museum of Natural History,
Salt Lake City, UT, and in control of the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Salt Lake City,
UT.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 102.2(c). The
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these
cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Bureau
of Reclamation and Utah Museum of Natural History professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah;
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation,
Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; White Mesa Ute
Tribe; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah;
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado;
and the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado,
New Mexico & Utah.
    In 1962, human remains representing one individual were collected
from a site near Bicknell, Wayne County, UT, under a memorandum of
agreement between the Department of

[[Page 2929]]

Anthropology, University of Utah, and the U.S. Department of the
Interior, National Park Service, acting on behalf of the Bureau of
Reclamation during the archeological inventory for the Glen Canyon
Archeological Project. No known individual was identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
    Archaeological evidence indicates that the human remains are Native
American from the protohistoric or contact period. Geography, kinship,
anthropology, and linguistics evidence, and expert opinion indicate
that the remains are those of a member of the Escalante Band of the
Southern Paiute, who inhabited this area during the protohistoric and
contact period, and who are most closely associated with the
contemporary Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah.
    In 1962, human remains representing two individuals were collected
from a site near Escalante, Garfield County, UT, under a memorandum of
agreement between the Department of Anthropology, University of Utah,
and the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, acting
on behalf of the Bureau of Reclamation during the archaeological
inventory for the Glen Canyon Archaeological Project. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
    Material culture near the interments indicate that the human
remains are Native American from the contact period. Geography,
kinship, anthropology, and linguistics evidence, and expert opinion
indicate that the remains are the two individuals are those of members
of the Escanlante Band of the Southern Paiute, who inhabited this area
during the protohistoric and contact period, and who are most closely
associated with the contemporary Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Bureau
of Reclamation have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(1), the
human remains above represent the physical remains of three individuals
of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Bureau of Reclamation
also 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 the Paiute Indian Tribe
of Utah.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Paiute Indian Tribe
of Utah; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian
Reservation, Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; White
Mesa Ute Tribe; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation,
Utah; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation,
Colorado; and the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation,
Colorado, New Mexico & Utah. Representatives of any other Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human
remains should contact Dr. Nancy Coulam, Regional Archaeologist, Bureau
of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138-1102,
telephone (801) 524-3684, before February 12, 2001. Repatriation of the
human remains to the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah may begin after that
date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: January 4, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-1111 Filed 1-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M