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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 11 (Friday, January 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5988-5989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-01227]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039345; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Inventory Completion: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
Portland Maine Resident Agency, Portland, ME

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 Federal

[[Page 5989]]

Bureau of Investigation, Portland Maine Resident Agency (FBI Maine) has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after February 18, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Special Agent Dale D. Wengler, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Portland Maine Resident Agency, 100 Middle Street, Suite 
400, Portland, ME 04101, telephone (207) 541-0702, 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 
FBI Maine, 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 has been 
identified. In May of 2022, a human scalp with an associated tag 
containing the following inscription ``MESCALLARO APACHE SCALP. KILLED 
AT JOHNSON'S RUN TEXAS SENT TO FRANK OWENS. BY LANCE BREWINGTON. FORMER 
MAYSVILLE MAN ABOVE TOLD ME BY LANCE B. AT JOPLIN MO 1899 W.W. GIBSON'' 
was obtained by the FBI through a federal search warrant after the 
scalp was offered for sale through an auction house in Maine. After 
conducting extensive forensic testing, the FBI Laboratory confirmed the 
scalp was human head hairs with Asian/Native American ancestral 
characteristics. The one associated funerary object is a beaded pipe 
bag that was contained with the human scalp and was also offered for 
sale at the auction house. The items belonged to a widow in New Mexico 
who was unaware that her husband had been in possession of them. The 
items had been grouped and consigned for sale along with many of her 
deceased husband's personal property by an auction house in Maine. Upon 
seizure by the FBI, the items have been preserved and maintained in 
accordance with evidence policies and procedures.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    The FBI Maine has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice likely 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry.
     The one object described in this notice is reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Mescalero 
Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after February 
18, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the FBI 
Maine must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. The FBI Maine 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: January 14, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-01227 Filed 1-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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