[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 9 (Friday, January 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2081-2082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-513]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, 
Bemidji, MN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council has completed an 
inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and any present-day Indian tribe. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council. Disposition of the human remains to the Indian 
tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the 
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council at the address below by February 13, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN 
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223.

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 in the 
possession of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC). The human 
remains were removed from Mille Lacs County, MN.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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. 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 MIAC 
professional staff in consultation with representatives the Bad River 
Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert 
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of 
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band of the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; and the White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota (hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 2003, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site 21-ML-81, Mille Lacs County, MN, during 
archeological excavations related to a Sanitary Sewer District project. 
Site 21-ML-81 is located on the tribal land of the Mille Lacs Band of 
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota. In 2007, the human remains 
were transferred to the MIAC (H427). No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The condition of the bones suggests a pre-contact/ancient time 
period and dental morphology identify this individual as American 
Indian. These human remains have no archeological classification and 
cannot be associated with any present-day Indian tribe.

Determinations Made by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council

    Officials of the MIAC have determined that:
    <bullet> Based on non-destructive physical analysis and catalogue 
records, the human remains are Native American.
    <bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.

[[Page 2082]]

    <bullet> According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains were 
removed is the tribal land of the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.
    <bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains is to the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains or any other Indian tribe 
that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should 
contact James L. (Jim) Jones, Cultural Resource Director, Minnesota 
Indian Affairs Council, 3801 Bemidji Avenue NW., Suite 5, Bemidji, MN 
56601, telephone (218) 755-3223, before February 13, 2012. Disposition 
of the human remains to the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota may proceed after that date if no additional 
requestors come forward.
    The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 9, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-513 Filed 1-12-12; 8:45 am]
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