[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 83047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23721]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038880; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Western Washington University, 
Department of Anthropology, Bellingham, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Western Washington University (WWU) has 
completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there 
is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after November 14, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Judith Pine, Western Washington University, Department 
of Anthropology, Arntzen Hall 340, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 
98225, telephone (360) 650-4783, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#780811161d12380f0f0d561d1c0d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c3b3aaada6a983b4b4b6eda6a7b6">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
WWU, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, 
including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or 
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Representatives from Western Washington University worked at 45-WH-
17 in both 1973 and 1977. Dr. Garland Grabert directed a summer field 
school at the site in 1973. In 1977, Western Washington University 
entered a contract (C530-695-02) with the city of Blaine, WA, to 
conduct salvage in conjunction with the construction of the sewage 
treatment facility. Operations began in June and continued through the 
end of August 1977. One burial was recovered at 45-WH-17 in 1973 and a 
total of 40 burials were recovered during the 1977 project. All the 
known burials and associated funerary objects in the WWU collections 
from the 1973 and 1977 work were repatriated to the Lummi Nation in the 
early 1980's.
    During the WWU NAGPRA compliance efforts in 1995, closer 
examination of faunal remains from 45-WH-17 resulted in numerous 
additional fragments of human bone being recognized. These human 
remains were listed in the original 1995 WWU NAGPRA Inventory and they, 
too, were repatriated to the Lummi Nation, upon their request in 2001. 
During the recent rehousing project described above, one additional 
human remain was identified from the 45-WH-17 collection and it is 
described below. No known individuals were identified. No hazardous 
chemicals are known to have been used to treat the human remains while 
in the custody of WWU.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the human remains described in this notice.

Determinations

    The WWU has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described 
in this notice and the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation and the 
Nooksack Indian Tribe.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this 
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this 
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after November 14, 2024. If competing 
requests for repatriation are received, the WWU must determine the most 
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. The WWU is responsible for sending a copy of 
this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: October 4, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-23721 Filed 10-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>