82 FR 44455 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Medford, OR

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 183 (September 22, 2017)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 should submit a written request to the Rogue River- Siskiyou National Forest. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44455-44456]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20293]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0023997; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Medford, OR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, 
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, has completed an inventory of 
human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 
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 should submit a written request to the Rogue River-
Siskiyou National Forest. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, 
Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice 
may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the Rogue 
River-Siskiyou National Forest, at the address in this notice by 
October 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Robert MacWhorter, Forest Supervisor, Rogue River-Siskiyou 
National Forest, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97501, telephone (541) 
618-2030, 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 that 
are housed at the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology 
and under the control of the USDA, Forest Service, Rogue River-Siskiyou 
National Forest. The human remains were removed from the Siskiyou 
Mountains Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, 
Jackson County, OR.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    Based on the likely cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
the aboriginally occupied lands of the Tribes, the Rogue River-Siskiyou 
National Forest consulted with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz 
Indians of Oregon (previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the 
Siletz Reservation); Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community 
of Oregon; and Quartz Valley Indian Community of the Quartz Valley 
Indian Reservation of California. Formal consultation regarding the 
human remains began in 1995 and continued through 2007.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1971, and at some time between 1975 and 1979, human remains 
representing, at minimum, three individuals were removed from site 
35JA90 in Jackson County, OR. The site is located on Federal land 
within the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District. The Jackson County 
Sheriff's Department was notified of the discovery and removed the 
human remains for further examination. After examination, the Sheriff's 
Department turned the skeletal remains over to the Department of 
Sociology and Anthropology at Southern Oregon State College (now 
Southern Oregon University). Analysis of the human remains in 1995 and 
1999 identified one female of an unknown age (Catalogue #11-425), one 
male between 20-23 years old (Catalogue #11-426), and one incomplete 
set of human remains of unknown sex and age (Catalogue Collection #2). 
No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    Site 35JA90 is a pre-contact village site with burial grounds 
located on Federal lands with a portion of the site located on private 
property. In 1979, Oregon State University (OSU) Department of 
Anthropology was contracted by the Rogue River National Forest to 
further investigate the site. The site was archeologically tested and 
recorded by archeologists Dr. David Brauner and Sandy Snyder. A 
Gunther-barbed projectile point and other projectile point types were 
noted at the site indicating an occupation date of approximately 1,500-
150 years BP. The site is associated with the descendants of the 
Dakubetede (applegate

[[Page 44456]]

athapascan) or Upland Takelma/Latgawa or Shasta peoples, based on 
artifacts and the site location.
    A relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably traced 
between this identifiable earlier group of people and the Confederated 
Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon (previously listed as the 
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation) and the Confederated 
Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. In addition, according 
to final judgments of the Indian Claims Commission, the land from which 
the human remains were removed is within the aboriginally occupied 
lands of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon 
(previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation) and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community 
of Oregon.

Determinations Made by the USDA, Forest Service, Rouge River-Siskiyou 
National Forest

    Officials of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of 
Oregon (previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation) and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of 
Oregon.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Robert 
MacWhorter, Forest Supervisor, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, 
3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97501, telephone (541) 618-2030, email 
[email protected], by October 23, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon 
(previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation) and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of 
Oregon may proceed.
    The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is responsible for 
notifying the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon 
(previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz 
Reservation); Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of 
Oregon; and Quartz Valley Indian Community of the Quartz Valley 
Reservation of California that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 14, 2017.
Sarah Glass,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-20293 Filed 9-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P