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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 234 (Thursday, December 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96674-96675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28497]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039142; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Intended Repatriation: California Department of 
Transportation, Oakland, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California Department of Transportation 
(Caltrans) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the 
definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural 
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in 
this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after January 6, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Lindsay Busse PQS Principal Investigator, Prehistoric 
Archaeology, California Department of Transportation, District 4, 111 
Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612, telephone (510) 847-1977, email 
[email protected] and Althea Asaro, PQS Principal Investigator, 
Prehistoric Archaeology, California Department of Transportation, 
District 4, 111 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612, telephone (510) 847-
2178, email [email protected].

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 
Caltrans, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the 
summary or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    CA-SON-256 is located along Highway 1 in northern Sonoma County,

[[Page 96675]]

and the collection is the result of a 2011 excavation in support of an 
encroachment permit. The collection was accessioned at Sonoma State 
University (SSU), under Caltrans control as Accession 2011-05 totaling 
265 catalogue numbers.
    All 265 catalogue numbers have been requested for repatriation 
because they have been identified as objects of cultural patrimony. The 
265 catalogue numbers are shell, faunal bone, beads, ground stone, 
lithics, and historic-era and modern items. Based on the information 
available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is 
clearly identified by the information available about the objects of 
cultural patrimony described in this notice. There are no known/
documented potentially hazardous substances used to treat any of the 
cultural items.

Determinations

    Caltrans has determined that:
     The 265 catalogue numbers containing objects of cultural 
patrimony described in this notice are, according to the Native 
American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional 
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice 
traditional Native American religion, and have ongoing historical, 
traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American 
group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, 
lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision).
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of 
the Stewarts Point Rancheria, California.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after January 6, 2025. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, Caltrans must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. Caltrans is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to 
the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: November 22, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-28497 Filed 12-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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