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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 106566-106568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31295]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039264; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest, Willows, 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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Mendocino National Forest intends to carry out the disposition 
of human remains or objects of cultural patrimony removed from Federal 
or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native 
Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.

[[Page 106567]]

DATES: Disposition of the human remains or cultural items in this 
notice may occur on or after January 29, 2025. If no claim for 
disposition is received by December 30, 2025, the human remains or 
cultural items in this notice will become unclaimed human remains or 
cultural items.

ADDRESSES: Wade McMaster, Mendocino National Forest Supervisor, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mendocino National Forest, 
825 N. Humboldt Avenue, Willows, CA 95988, telephone (530) 934-3316, 
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 
Mendocino National Forest and additional information on the human 
remains or cultural items in this notice, including the results of 
consultation, can be found in the related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the identifications in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

TEH-926

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, one individual (Ancestor) has been reasonably identified. The 
239 objects of cultural patrimony are various stone tools (milling 
slabs, manos, etc.), debitage, and unmodified faunal remains. No 
funerary objects or sacred objects have been identified based on the 
available documentation from the rest of the collection.
    CA-TEH-926 is located in Tehama County, California on the Mendocino 
National Forest. The fragmentary human remains, representing at minimum 
one individual, and objects of cultural patrimony were removed from the 
site in 1999. Excavations at CA-TEH-926 took place via a Passport in 
Time (PIT) project as part of the larger Nomlaki Archaeological 
Research project which began in 1996. Tribal members from the Paskenta 
Band of Nomlaki Indians and Round Valley Indian Reservation were 
present during all phases of fieldwork. Based on existing 
documentation, at the time of excavation, identified human remains were 
left in situ and the respective unit terminated. The human remains 
identified as part of this Notice were initially misidentified as 
nonhuman animal and were discovered in September 2024.

TEH-984

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, two individuals (Ancestors) have been reasonably identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. The 1,035 objects of cultural 
patrimony are unmodified and modified faunal remains, modified stone 
tools (including bifaces, edge modified flakes, hammerstones, hand 
stones, milling stones, drills, etc.), projectile points, debitage, and 
various plant seeds. No funerary objects or sacred objects have been 
identified based on the available documentation.
    The fragmentary human remains, representing at minimum two 
individuals, and objects of cultural patrimony were removed from CA-
TEH-984 between 1999 and 2000. Excavations at CA-TEH-984 took place via 
a Passport in Time (PIT) project as part of the larger Nomlaki 
Archaeological Research project which began in 1996. The site is 
classified as a seasonal base camp culturally affiliated with the 
Nomlaki due to its geographic location. At the time of excavation, all 
identified human remains remained in situ per the established Plan of 
Action. The fragmentary human remains identified as part of this Notice 
were initially misidentified as nonhuman animal and only identified as 
human during subsequent cataloging efforts. The previously unknown 
human remains were discovered in September 2024.

TEH-1722

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, two individuals (Ancestors) have been reasonably identified. The 
851 objects of cultural patrimony are unmodified and modified faunal 
remains, modified stone tools (including bifaces, edge modified flakes, 
hammerstones, hand stones, milling stones, drills, etc.), projectile 
points, debitage, and various plant seeds. No funerary objects or 
sacred objects have been identified based on the available 
documentation.
    CA-TEH-1722 is located in Tehama County, California on the 
Mendocino National Forest. The fragmentary human remains, representing 
at minimum two individuals, and 851 cultural objects were removed from 
the site between 1996 and 1997. The excavations were conducted as part 
of a Passport in Time (PIT) project under the larger Nomlaki 
Archaeological Research Project which began following requests for 
archaeological research from the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. 
Tribal members were present and participated in the 1996 and 1997 
excavations. The artifact assemblage indicates significant seasonal 
occupation at the site by the Nomlaki. The fragmentary human remains 
were not identified at the time of excavation and thus were likely 
initially misidentified as nonhuman animal. The previously unknown 
human remains identified as part of this Notice were discovered in 
September 2024.

Determinations

    The Mendocino National Forest has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of five individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 2,125 objects of cultural patrimony described in this 
notice 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), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of 
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
     The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California have 
priority for disposition of the human remains and cultural items 
described in this notice.

Claims for Disposition

    Written claims for disposition of the human remains or cultural 
items in this notice must be sent to the appropriate official 
identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. If no claim for disposition 
is received by December 30, 2025, the human remains or cultural items 
in this notice will become unclaimed human remains or cultural items. 
Claims for disposition may be submitted by:
    1. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization 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 they have priority for disposition.
    Disposition of the human remains or cultural items in this notice 
may occur on or after January 29, 2025. If competing claims for 
disposition are received, the Mendocino National Forest must determine 
the most appropriate claimant prior to disposition. Requests for joint 
disposition of the human remains or cultural items are considered a 
single request and not competing requests. The Mendocino National 
Forest is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the lineal 
descendants, 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

[[Page 106568]]

U.S.C. 3002, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.7.

    Dated: December 19, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-31295 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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