FR Doc 2010-17876[Federal Register: July 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 140)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42771-42773]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22jy10-101]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service
 
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, 
Boulder, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.
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[[Page 42772]]

    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the control of the University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, 
CO. The human remains were removed from Grand County, UT, and Mesa 
County, CO.
    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 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of Colorado Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Bridgeport Paiute 
Indian Colony of California; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Confederated 
Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Death Valley Timbi-
Sha Shoshone Band of California; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the 
Duckwater Reservation, Nevada; Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada; Fort 
McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian 
Reservation, Nevada and Oregon; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kaibab Band of 
Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kiowa Indian 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas 
Indian Colony, Nevada; Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian 
Colony, Nevada; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Northwestern Band of the Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, 
Koosharem Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes); Paiute-
Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony, 
California; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, 
Nevada; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, 
Nevada; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada; San Juan Southern Paiute 
Tribe of Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Skull 
Valley Band of Goshute Indians, Utah; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada; 
Susanville Indian Rancheria, California; Te-Moak Tribe of Western 
Shoshone Indians of Nevada (Four constituent bands: Battle Mountain 
Band; Elko Band; South Fork Band and Wells Band); Ute Indian Tribe of 
the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; Walker River Paiute 
Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada; Winnemucca Indian Colony 
of Nevada; Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell 
Ranch, Nevada; Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada; 
and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    In 1951, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from Luster Cave site, Grand County, UT, with the 
landowner's permission by a field crew under the direction of Robert H. 
Lister of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of 
Anthropology, and Herbert W. Dick of the University of Colorado Museum. 
Luster Cave was on property owned by James J. Luster and located west 
of the Little Dolores River. No known individuals were identified. The 
one associated funerary object is a rabbit fur blanket.
    The human remains are Native American based on site dates, 
stratigraphy, and the associated funerary object/burial context. The 
archeological evidence provides a date range of 1700 B.C. -A.D. 1300 
for the Luster Cave site. Based on the stratigraphical evidence, the 
remains of an infant found wrapped in the rabbit fur blanket that was 
tied with yucca fiber are reasonably believed to date to A.D. 1300 or 
later. Based on the stratigraphy at the site, the second individual, 
represented by a single tooth cap found 48-60" below the surface, is 
reasonably believed to predate the infant burial.
    In 1951, human remains representing two individuals were removed 
from 5ME449, Roth Cave site, Mesa County, CO, with the landowner's 
permission by a field crew under the direction of Lister and Dick. Roth 
Cave was on property owned by J.D. Roth and located north of the Little 
Dolores River. No known individuals were identified. The one associated 
funerary object is shredded juniper bark wrapping.
    The human remains are Native American based on site dates, 
stratigraphy, and the associated funerary object/burial context. Roth 
Cave site dates archeologically to A.D. 500-1100. Based on the 
stratigraphical evidence, the remains of a child, found wrapped in the 
shredded juniper bark, are reasonably believed to date to A.D. 1100 or 
later. Based on the stratigraphy at the site, the second individual, 
represented by adult teeth, found below the surface, is reasonably 
believed to predate the child burial.
    In 1951, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from 5ME453, Arroyo Site C2-2, Mesa County, CO, by a field crew under 
the direction of Lister and Dick. Arroyo Site C2-2 site was on property 
owned by J.D. Roth and located just north of the Little Dolores River, 
on the north side of Sieber Canyon. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    The human remains are Native American based on the site dates, and 
the orientation and position of the burial. Arroyo Site C2-2 dates 
archeologically to A.D. 500-1000.
    Officials of the University of Colorado Museum have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of five individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the University of Colorado Museum also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the two objects 
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. Lastly, officials of the University of 
Colorado Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a 
relationship of shared group identity cannot reasonably be traced 
between the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and any present-day Indian tribe.
    The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific 
actions for the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. 
In October 2009, the University of Colorado Museum requested that the 
Review Committee recommend the disposition of the culturally 
unidentifiable human remains to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, based on Ute 
aboriginal land claims supported by oral tradition, as well as the 
support of other Indian tribes that were consulted. The Comanche 
Nation, Oklahoma; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and Susanville Indian 
Rancheria, California, signed the disposition agreement in support of 
the disposition to the Ute Mountain Tribe. Furthermore, none of the 
Indian tribes consulted objected to the determination of the 
"culturally unidentifiable" status

[[Page 42773]]

by the University of Colorado Museum and the disposition to the Ute 
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & 
Utah.
    The Review Committee considered the proposal at its October 30-31, 
2009, meeting and recommended the disposition of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah. The Secretary of the 
Interior agreed with the Review Committee's recommendation. An April 
19, 2010, letter from the Designated Federal Officer, writing on behalf 
of the Secretary of the Interior, transmitted the authorization for the 
University of Colorado Museum to effect disposition of the physical 
remains of the culturally unidentifiable individuals to the Ute 
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & 
Utah, contingent on the publication of a Notice of Inventory Completion 
in the Federal Register. This notice fulfills that requirement. In the 
same letter, the Secretary recommended the transfer of the associated 
funerary objects to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, to the extent allowed by 
Federal, state, or local law.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Steve Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, 
University of Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, Bernstein & 
Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone (303) 894-
0648, before August 23, 2010. Disposition of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah, may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Colorado Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of 
California; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Confederated Tribes of the 
Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah; Death Valley Timbi-Sha Shoshone 
Band of California; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater 
Reservation, Nevada; Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada; Fort McDermitt 
Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, 
Nevada and Oregon; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians 
of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian 
Colony, Nevada; Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony, 
Nevada; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian 
Reservation, Nevada; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Northwestern Band of the Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie); Paiute 
Indian Tribe of Utah; Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community 
of the Bishop Colony, California; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon 
Reservation and Colony, Nevada; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the 
Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada; 
San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind 
River Reservation, Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall 
Reservation of Idaho; Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley 
Reservation, Nevada; Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians, Utah; 
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; 
Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada; Susanville Indian Rancheria, 
California; Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada; Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain 
Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; 
Walker River Paiute Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada; 
Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada; Yerington Paiute Tribe of the 
Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch, Nevada; Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the 
Yomba Reservation, Nevada; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 13, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-17876 Filed 7-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S