[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15389-15390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office 
[www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6320]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 
Sacramento, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The California Department of Parks and Recreation has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and 
associated funerary objects may contact the California Department of Parks and 
Recreation. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional claimants come 
forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a cultural 
affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary objects should 
contact the California Department of Parks and Recreation at the address below 
by April 16, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Rebecca Carruthers, NAGPRA Coordinator, California Department of 
Parks and Recreation, 1416 9th Street, Room 902, Sacramento, CA 95814, 
telephone (916) 653-8893.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby 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 possession of the California Department of Parks and 
Recreation. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed 
from the Cole Creek site (CA-LAK-425), Lake County, CA.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the California 
Department of Parks and Recreation professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley 
Rancheria, California; Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank 
Rancheria, California; Lower Lake Rancheria, California; Middletown Rancheria 
of Pomo Indians of California; and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of 
California.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1975, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were 
removed from the Cole Creek site (CA-LAK-425) in Lake County, CA, during 
salvage excavations conducted by Ron King and Dr. David A. Fredrickson when 
road construction exposed human remains within Clear Lake State Park. No known 
individuals were identified. The 10 associated funerary objects are 4 flakes, 
3 utilized flakes, 1 blade, 1 core and 1 lot of food remains.
    The age of this burial is dated to the late prehistoric period. The site 
itself has an early component that may date to the Mendocino Aspect or Borax 
Lake Pattern (circa B.C. 2000-500). Archeology in the Napa Valley shows 
occupation from about 2,000 or at most 4,000 years ago. It has been suggested 
that the Wappo language separated from other Yukian languages about B.C. 1000, 
suggesting that the Wappo may have been the first settlers of the area after 
the people of the Borax Lake Pattern. This site is within the historically 
documented geographic territory of the Wappo. The associated funerary objects 
are consistent with occupation of the site by the Wappo. Based on linguistic 
evidence and historical geographical association, officials of the California 
Department of Parks and Recreation have determined that there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between 
these Native American human remains and associated funerary objects and the 
present-day Federally recognized Pomo Indian Tribes.

Determinations Made by the California Department of Parks and Recreation

    Officials of the California Department of Parks and Recreation have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the ten associated funerary 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of shared group 
identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects and the Big Valley Band of Pomo 
Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria, California; Elem Indian Colony of Pomo 
Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, California; Lower Lake Rancheria, 
California; Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California; and the Scotts 
Valley Band of Pomo Indians of California.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally 
affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects should 
contact Rebecca Carruthers, NAGPRA Coordinator, California Department of Parks 
and Recreation, 1416 9th Street, Room 902, telephone (916) 653-8893, before 
April 16, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria, 
California; Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, 
California; Lower Lake Rancheria, California; Middletown Rancheria of Pomo 
Indians of California; and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of 
California may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The California Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for 
notifying the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria, 
California; Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, 
California; Lower Lake Rancheria, California; Middletown Rancheria of Pomo 
Indians of California; and the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of 
California that this notice has been published.


[[Page 15390]]


    Dated: March 12, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-6320 Filed 3-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P