80 FR 23591 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 81 (April 28, 2015)

The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to Isle Royale National Park. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23591-23592]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09868]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18012; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Isle Royale National Park, has completed an inventory of human remains 
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that 
there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request to Isle Royale 
National Park. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice 
may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice that wish to request 
transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to Isle Royale National Park at the address in this notice 
by May 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Phyllis Green, Superintendent, Isle Royale National Park, 
800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, MI 49931-1896, telephone (906) 482-
0984, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 under the control of the U.S. Department of 
the Interior, National Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, 
Houghton, MI. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Isle Royale National Park in Keweenaw County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). The determinations in this notice are the sole 
responsibility of the Superintendent, Isle Royale National Park.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Isle Royale 
National Park professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band 
of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota--Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Minnesota Chippewa 
Tribe, Minnesota--Grand Portage Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Mille Lacs Band; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; 
and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').
    The following tribes were invited to consult, but declined to do 
so: Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of 
the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, 
Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Fond du Lac Band; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 
Indians of Wisconsin; and St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Invited Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1940 and 1960, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from Massee Rockshelter in Keweenaw County, 
MI. Archeologists Dennis Glen Cooper and Fred Dustin collected remains 
in 1940. In 1960, additional remains were removed during a University 
of Michigan Museum of Anthropology archeology project. The remains are 
small, poorly preserved, and consist mostly of fragments of small 
bones. No known individuals were identified. The 11 associated funerary 
objects are 1 biface projectile point and 10 fragmentary bird bones.
    The Massee Rockshelter site is the only known Native American 
burial site located on the main island at Isle Royale National Park. A 
calibrated radiocarbon date of AD 1270-1400 indicates a Late Woodland, 
Early Historic time period for the remains. There is insufficient 
material to make a definitive cultural affiliation determination.

Determinations Made by Isle Royale National Park

    Officials of Isle Royale National Park have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on the attributes of the 
prehistoric archeology site from which they were removed.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 11 objects described 
in this notice 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. The National Park Service intends to convey the 
associated funerary objects to the tribes pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 18f-2.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian tribe.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed 
is the aboriginal land of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe 
of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Keweenaw 
Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of

[[Page 23592]]

Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of 
Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Fond du Lac Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota--Grand 
Portage Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota--Mille Lacs Band; Red 
Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; and St. 
Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Bad River 
Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac 
Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du 
Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Fond du Lac Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota--Grand 
Portage Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota--Mille Lacs Band; Red 
Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; and St. 
Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization 
not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control 
of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Phyllis 
Green, Superintendent, Isle Royale National Park, 800 East Lakeshore 
Drive, Houghton, MI 49931-1896, telephone (906) 482-0984, email 
[email protected], by May 28, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Bad River Band of 
the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac 
Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; 
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du 
Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Fond du Lac Band, Minnesota; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota--Grand Portage Band; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota--
Mille Lacs Band; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
Wisconsin; and St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin may proceed.
    Isle Royale National Park is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribes that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: March 18, 2015.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-09868 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P