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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39120-39121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16925]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025950; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Inventory Completion: Binghamton University, State 
University of New York, Binghamton, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Binghamton University has completed an inventory of human 
remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives 
of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in 
this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human 
remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to the Binghamton University. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Binghamton University at the address in 
this notice by September 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Nina M. Versaggi, Public Archaeology Facility, Binghamton 
University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, telephone (607) 
777-478, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Binghamton 
University, Binghamton, NY. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Comfort Site, Town of Chenango, Broome 
County, NY.
    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 in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
Binghamton University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Cayuga Nation; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; 
Delaware Tribe of Indians; Oneida Nation (previously listed as the 
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin); Oneida Indian Nation (previously 
listed as the Oneida Nation of New York); Onondaga Nation; Saint Regis 
Mohawk Tribe (previously listed as the St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians 
of New York); Seneca Nation of Indians (previously listed as the Seneca 
Nation of New York); Seneca-Cayuga Nation (previously listed as the 
Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma); Stockbridge Munsee Community, 
Wisconsin; Tonawanda Band of Seneca (previously listed as the Tonawanda 
Band of Seneca Indians of New York); and Tuscarora Nation.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1971, human remains representing a minimum of nine individuals 
were removed from the Comfort site in the Town of Chenango, Broome 
County, NY. The site was excavated by professional and avocational 
archeologists during construction of a rest area associated with I-81. 
No known individuals were identified. The 143 associated funerary 
objects include: 22 pieces of shell, one cord-marked unidentified body 
sherd, one plain unidentified body sherd, seven pieces of shell, one 
chert knife, seven chert waste flakes, one retouched chert flake, one 
Sackett corded rim sherd, four bear teeth, 20 pieces of shell, one 
chert waste flake, one chert chunk, 21 shell beads, one crinoid fossil 
bead, three copper cones, one incised rim sherd, one piece of shell, 
one shell bead, one piece of wood, three chert waste flakes, one chert 
flake, one clay pipe bowl fragment, one bone awl, two hammerstones, one 
chert chunk, two chert waste flakes, one retouched/utilized flake, 
three eroded pottery sherds, two pieces of unworked bird bone, 22 
pieces of shell, one worked animal bone, and seven pieces of animal 
bone.
    A bioarcheologist and archeologist from Binghamton University 
determined that the human remains were Native American. No known 
individuals were identified. Archaological information includes a 
radiocarbon date obtained from charred plant material from one burial 
which produced a date of A.D. 1130, plus or minus 150 years. Additional 
archeological information from the pottery showed that the dates could 
range from A.D. 1070-1400 and recent radiometric dating of material 
from non-burial features indicates a date range of A.D. 1250 through 
A.D. 1400. Historically, the Comfort site was part of the eighteenth 
century string of villages known as Otsiningo, an Oneida and Onondaga 
community that later accepted Native American refugees.
    Haudenosaunee oral tradition states that, as The People of the Long 
House, they are affiliated culturally, spiritually, biologically, and 
personally to the ancestors located within their traditional aboriginal 
territories. This connection is also based upon cultural practices, 
language, and the philosophy of respect for those ancestors that have 
passed. This evidence supports a relationship of shared group identity 
which can reasonably be traced between the Oneida, Onondaga, and 
Tuscarora Nations and the human remains and associated funerary 
objects, removed from the Comfort site as this location is within the 
traditional aboriginal territory of the Oneida, Onondaga, and Tuscarora 
Nations. Similarly, the Delaware Nation, Oklahoma and the Delaware 
Tribe of Indians recognize that they have a territorial connection to, 
and cultural affiliation with, sites located in Broome County, New 
York.

[[Page 39121]]

Determinations Made by the Binghamton University

    Officials of the Binghamton University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 166 objects 
described in this notice 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Oneida Nation (previously 
listed as the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin); Oneida Indian 
Nation (previously listed as the Oneida Nation of New York); Onondaga 
Nation; and Tuscarora Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Nina M. Versaggi, Public Archaeology 
Facility, Binghamton University, P.O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902-
6000, telephone (607) 777-478, email [email protected], by 
September 7, 2018. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of 
Indians; Oneida Nation (previously listed as the Oneida Tribe of 
Indians of Wisconsin); Oneida Indian Nation (previously listed as the 
Oneida Nation of New York); Onondaga Nation; and Tuscarora Nation may 
proceed.
    The Binghamton University is responsible for notifying the Cayuga 
Nation; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Oneida 
Nation (previously listed as the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin); 
Oneida Indian Nation (previously listed as the Oneida Nation of New 
York); Onondaga Nation; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (previously listed as 
the St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians of New York); Seneca Nation of 
Indians (previously listed as the Seneca Nation of New York); Seneca-
Cayuga Nation (previously listed as the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of 
Oklahoma); Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin; Tonawanda Band of 
Seneca (previously listed as the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of 
New York); and Tuscarora Nation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 9, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-16925 Filed 8-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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