Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 51509 

Total Acres 1,250.00, more or less. 

Effective immediately, the BLM will 

process the pending application in 

accordance with the regulations stated 

in 43 CFR part 2720. Written comments 

concerning the application must be 

received no later than the date specified 

above in this notice. The purpose for a 

purchase and conveyance is to allow 

consolidation of surface and subsurface 

minerals ownership where (1) there are 

no known mineral values or (2) in those 

instances where the Federal mineral 

interest reservation interferes with or 

precludes appropriate nonmineral 

development and such development is a 

more beneficial use of the land than the 

mineral development. 

On September 3, 2008, the mineral 

interests owned by the United States in 

the above described lands will be 

segregated to the extent that they will 

not be subject to the appropriation 

under the public land laws, including 

the mining laws. The segregative effect 

shall terminate upon issuance of a 

patent or deed of such mineral interest; 

upon final rejection of the mineral 

conveyance application; or September 3, 

2010, whichever occurs first. 

Authority: 43 CFR 2720.1–1(b). 

Rosemary Thomas, 

Four Rivers Field Manager. 

[FR Doc. E8–20336 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 

Items: U.S. Department of the Interior, 

National Park Service, Lake Roosevelt 

National Recreation Area, Coulee Dam, 

WA 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

Notice is here given in accordance 

with the Native American Graves 

Protection and Repatriation Act 

(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent 

to repatriate cultural items that are in 

the control of the U.S. Department of the 

Interior, National Park Service, Lake 

Roosevelt National Recreation Area, 

Coulee Dam, WA, that meet the 

definition of ‘‘unassociated funerary 

objects’’ under 25 U.S.C 3005. They 

were removed from ten archeological 

sites within the boundaries of Lake 

Roosevelt National Recreation Area. 

Seven of the sites are in Ferry County, 

WA, and three are in Stevens County, 

WA. 

This notice is published as part of the 

National Park Service’s administrative 

responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 

U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). The determinations 

in this notice are the sole responsibility 

of the superintendent, Lake Roosevelt 

National Recreation Area. 

On April 9, 1872, land on the east 

side of the Columbia River in 

Washington Territory was set aside as 

the Colville Reservation by Executive 

Order. On July 2, 1872, that land was 

restored to the public domain, and land 

on the west side of the Columbia River 

was set aside as the Colville 

Reservation. On July 1, 1892, Congress 

restored the north half of the Colville 

Reservation to the public domain, and 

reduced tribal lands through allotments 

to individual Indians under the Dawes 

Act of 1887. The two constituent tribes 

of the Confederated Tribes of the 

Colville Reservation that are 

traditionally associated with the area are 

the Colville and Lakes Tribes. 

Grand Coulee Dam, initiated by the 

Bureau of Reclamation in the 1930s, was 

completed in 1941. Some of the lands 

inundated by the resulting reservoir had 

been previously reserved by either the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington or the Spokane 

Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, 

Washington. In 1946, a Tri-Party 

Agreement among the Bureau of 

Reclamation, the National Park Service 

and the Office of Indian Affairs was 

developed to manage the Coulee Dam 

Recreation Area in three zones: 

Reclamation Zone, Recreation Zone, and 

Reservation Zone. The agreement gave 

the National Park Service control of 

land in the Recreation Zone for most 

purposes, including the management of 

archeological resources. In 1990, a fiveparty Lake Roosevelt Cooperative 

Management Agreement was 

implemented that included the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington and the 

Spokane Tribe of the Spokane 

Reservation, Washington as signatories. 

The National Park Service retained 

control of the Recreation Zone. The 

recreation area became Lake Roosevelt 

National Recreation Area in 1997. 

The unassociated funerary objects 

were removed from ten archeological 

sites on land reserved by the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington until 1946. 

The sites were affected by the Bureau of 

Reclamation’s operation of Grand 

Coulee Dam since the early 1940s, and 

are within the Recreation Zone managed 

by the National Park Service. In 2005, 

the Bureau of Reclamation and the 

National Park Service jointly 

determined that Lake Roosevelt 

National Recreation Area has control of 

the NAGPRA collections and 

responsibility for compliance with 

NAGPRA. 

From 1967 to 1978, human remains 

and associated funerary objects were 

collected by local residents from 

eroding shorelines along the banks of 

Lake Roosevelt or excavated by 

professional archeologists during legally 

authorized salvage excavations. The 

human remains and associated funerary 

objects were stored at Washington State 

University (WSU) until mid–1967, when 

they were moved to the Alfred W. 

Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology at 

the University of Idaho (UI). Human 

remains and associated funerary objects 

acquired after that time were transferred 

from Lake Roosevelt to the University of 

Idaho, and became part of the Kettle 

Falls Archeological Collection. Prior to 

the passage of NAGPRA on November 

16, 1990, some of the human remains 

were repatriated to the Confederated 

Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington. In 1992, the Kettle Falls 

Archeological Collection was 

transferred to the Bureau of 

Reclamation’s Grand Coulee Dam 

Administrative Headquarters. In 2006, 

the collection was transferred to the 

physical custody of the Confederated 

Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington. 

Between 1967 and 1978, human 

remains and funerary objects were 

removed from the Freeland Site (45–FE– 

1). Some of the human remains were 

repatriated to the Confederated Tribes of 

the Colville Reservation, Washington, 

while the rest were accessioned by the 

National Park Service, and are included 

in a separate Notice of Inventory 

Completion. The 1,026 unassociated 

funerary objects are 2 projectile points, 

2 lithic flakes, 516 dentalium shell 

beads, 241 copper beads, 1 copper 

pendant, 1 copper plate, 14 copper 

fragments, 71 pieces of verdigris (copper 

with a copper sulfate patina), 1 iron axe 

head, 1 shell, 52 pieces of plant fiber 

cordage, 1 piece of cordage with nonhuman hair and leather, 2 pieces of 

cordage with leather, 107 leather strips, 

4 scraps of leather hide, 1 leather knot, 

4 pieces of non-human hair, 2 peach 

pits, 2 lots of quartzite debris, and 1 

piece of cedar wood. 

The Freeland site is a Native 

American burial ground dating to the 

early historic period based upon the 

nature of associated funerary objects 

and the condition and preservation of 

the skeletal elements. The Colville and 

Lakes Tribes were decimated by 

smallpox soon after 1800, and the 

Freeland site has been interpreted as an 

‘‘epidemic burial ground.’’ 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
51510 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / Notices 

In 1971, 1972 and 1978, fragmentary 

human remains and funerary objects 

were removed from the Ksunku site (45– 

FE–45), on the north end of Hayes 

Island. Stratigraphic evidence indicates 

that these remains date to 

approximately 2,500 years B.P. Some of 

the human remains were repatriated to 

the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington, while the rest 

were accessioned by the National Park 

Service, and are included in a separate 

Notice of Inventory Completion. The 83 

unassociated funerary objects are 48 

flakes, 4 pieces of incised bone, 1 

charcoal sample, 2 non-human teeth, 4 

quartzite knives, 2 lithic cores, 2 

quartzite slabs, 1 scraper, 1 cobble spall 

hammer, 1 argillite perforator, 1 

denticulate, 1 lot of obsidian debris, and 

15 pieces of non-human bone. 

In 1972, human remains and funerary 

objects were removed from an eroding 

burial at the Nancy Creek Site (45–FE– 

16), described as ‘‘an aboriginal camp, 

burial, and historic site.’’ The human 

remains were repatriated to the Colville 

Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington. The two unassociated 

funerary objects are one steatite 

(soapstone) pipe fragment and one 

unidentified animal claw. 

In 1972 and 1974, human remains and 

funerary objects were removed from the 

Chaudiere Site (45–FE–47), a late 

prehistoric period site. The human 

remains were repatriated to the Colville 

Tribe of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington. The 78 unassociated 

funerary objects are 5 projectile points, 

5 stone knives, 6 choppers, 4 scrapers, 

3 stone hammers, 2 charred wood 

samples, 1 charcoal sample, 1 botanical 

sample (pine, chokecherry and hazelnut 

seeds), 27 lithic flakes, 1 core, 2 slate 

pendants, 5 beaver incisors, 1 bone 

blanket pin or needle, 1 biface, 1 graver, 

1 shaft straightener, 2 copper pendants, 

2 pieces of ochre, 1 celt, 1 preform, 1 

incised bird bone gaming piece, 1 antler 

digging stick handle, and 4 antler 

wedges. 

In 1974, human remains and funerary 

objects were removed from the Sherman 

Creek Site (45–FE–51), a pit house 

village and extensive prehistoric 

cemetery exceeding 1,000 years in 

antiquity. Some of the human remains 

were repatriated to the Confederated 

Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington, while the rest were 

accessioned by the National Park 

Service, and are included in a separate 

Notice of Inventory Completion. The 

1,306 unassociated funerary objects are 

21 quartzite knives, 42 quartzite knife 

blanks, 2 lithic flakes, 2 partial bone 

needles, 1,219 glass beads, 1 botanical 

sample, 1 clay pipe stem fragment, 1 

dentalium shell ornament, 1 chopper, 8 

incised bird bones, 2 granite net 

weights, 2 pieces of a bone digging stick 

handle, 1 wood button, 1 copper button, 

and 2 incised bone digging stick 

handles. 

In 1974, human remains and funerary 

objects were removed from the Kwilkin 

Site (45–ST–98), a late prehistoric 

period site. The human remains were 

repatriated to the Confederated Tribes of 

the Colville Reservation, Washington. 

The five unassociated funerary objects 

are five lithic flakes. 

In 1974 and 1976, human remains and 

funerary objects were removed from the 

Shonitkwu site (45–FE–44), a 

prehistoric and historic archeological 

site on Hayes Island. The human 

remains were repatriated to the Colville 

Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 

Washington. The 80 unassociated 

funerary objects are 5 pieces of charred 

wood from a burial container, 1 

botanical sample, 1 cobble hammer, 25 

lithic flakes, 5 projectile points or point 

fragments, 4 scrapers, 9 stone knives, 2 

bifaces, 4 cores, 3 choppers, 1 tubular 

stone pipe, 2 bird bones, 1 beaver 

incisor, 3 pieces of iron, 1 iron and 

wood artifact with a burnt ‘‘X’’, 1 copper 

bead on a piece of cordage, 1 piece of 

cordage, 1 antler digging stick handle, 5 

antler fragments, 1 iron sword blade, 1 

quartz core or scraper, 1 quartzite 

perforator, 1 argillite cobble spall, and 1 

quartzite slab. 

In 1976, human remains and one 

funerary object were removed from the 

Ilthkoyape Site (45–FE–46), a 

prehistoric pit house village located on 

the northwest corner of Hayes Island. 

The human remains were repatriated to 

the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington. The one 

unassociated funerary object is a granite 

shaft smoother. 

In 1976, human remains and funerary 

objects were removed from the 

Atslukstsin site (45–ST–45), a late 

prehistoric/historic site. The human 

remains were repatriated to the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington. The 46 

unassociated funerary objects are 13 

lithic flakes, 2 scrapers, 3 bifaces, 25 

dentalium shell beads, 1 quartzite knife, 

1 glass button with a metal loop 

fragment, and 1 mussel shell. 

In 1977, human remains and funerary 

objects were removed from the vicinity 

of St. Paul’s Mission (45–ST–95). The 

area features prehistoric archeological 

sites with burials, the mission and an 

historical, contact-period cemetery. The 

human remains were repatriated to the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington. The two 

unassociated objects are one projectile 

point and one quartzite knife. 

Archeological analysis of the sites, 

anthropological research, 

ethnohistorical studies, and tribal oral 

traditions demonstrate by a 

preponderance of the evidence that the 

Native American human remains and 

funerary objects represent Plateau 

Culture Area, Interior Salish speakers 

who have continuously occupied the 

Columbia River drainage for thousands 

of years. The ten sites are within the 

judicially established aboriginal 

territory of the Confederated Tribes of 

the Colville Reservation, Washington. 

Members of the nearby Spokane Tribe of 

the Spokane Reservation are also 

Interior Salish speakers, but their 

aboriginal territory is to the east, along 

the Spokane River and its tributaries. 

Officials of Lake Roosevelt National 

Recreation Area have determined that, 

pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 

2,629 cultural items described above are 

reasonably believed to have been placed 

with or near individual human remains 

at the time of death or later as part of 

the death rite or ceremony and are 

believed, by a preponderance of the 

evidence, to have been removed from a 

specific burial site of a Native American 

individual. Officials of Lake Roosevelt 

National Recreation Area also have 

determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 

3001 (2), there is a relationship of 

shared group identity that can be 

reasonably traced between the 

unassociated funerary objects and the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington. 

Representatives of any other Indian 

tribe that believes itself to be culturally 

affiliated with the unassociated funerary 

objects should contact Deborah Bird, 

superintendent, Lake Roosevelt National 

Recreation Area, 1008 Crest Drive, 

Coulee Dam, WA 99116–0037, 

telephone (509) 633–9441, before 

October 3, 2008. Repatriation of the 

unassociated funerary objects to the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington may proceed 

after that date if no additional claimants 

come forward. 

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation 

Area is responsible for notifying the 

Confederated Tribes of the Colville 

Reservation, Washington that this notice 

has been published. 

Dated: August 11, 2008 

Sherry Hutt, 

Manager, National NAGPRA Program. 

[FR Doc. E8–20411 Filed 9–2–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4312–50–S 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES