SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice is published as part of the ( printed page 29163) National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the City of Palmdale, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

A total of 3,774 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. Between 1995 and 1998, the cultural items were removed during the Elizabeth Lake Road Improvement Project, in Los Angeles County. The City of Palmdale served as the overall project proponent. Petra Resources, Inc. provided archaeological and paleontological services for several phases of the project.

The 1,029 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are faunal bone fragments, fire-affected rocks, flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, groundstone beads, groundstone pendants, hammerstones, historic items, modified bone, organic ecofacts, shell beads, stone ecofacts, botanical samples, C14 samples, faunal samples, and pollen samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-953 during work initially started as part of CEQA mitigation for the Ritter Ranch development, which was never completed.

The three lots of objects of cultural patrimony are C14 samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-954.

The 1,370 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, groundstone pendants, historic items, modified bone, organic ecofacts, pigment, shell beads, shell ecofacts, soil samples, stone ecofacts, botanical samples, C14 samples, faunal samples, and pollen samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-959 during work initially started as part of CEQA mitigation for the Ritter Ranch development, which was never completed.

The one lot of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-1335 during test investigations for the Ritter Ranch Entry Construction.

The two lots of objects of cultural patrimony are botanical samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-1552.

The 78 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, and hammerstones. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-2311 during testing conducted prior to road construction during the Elizabeth Lake Road realignment.

The 117 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are faunal bone fragments, flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, historic items, and stone ecofacts. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-2346 during construction of the Amargosa Creek Dam (Detention Basin).

The 366 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, groundstone beads, hammerstones, pigment, soil samples, stone ecofacts, botanical samples, and faunal samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-2552 during testing conducted prior to road construction during the Elizabeth Lake Road realignment.

The 496 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, groundstone pendants, hammerstones, stone ecofacts, botanical samples, and faunal samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-2587 during Elizabeth Lake Road construction activities.

The 281 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, hammerstones, stone ecofacts, botanical samples, and pollen samples. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-2588 during Elizabeth Lake Road construction activities.

The 30 lots of objects of cultural patrimony are flaked stone artifacts, groundstone artifacts, groundstone beads, and shell ecofacts. The cultural items were removed from CA-LAN-ELR during monitoring at the Amargosa Creek Bridge and the realignment of Elizabeth Lake Road.

The presence of any potentially hazardous substances being used to treat the cultural items prior to CDPR acquiring the items is unknown. Unless state above, all of the cultural items are housed at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum.

Determinations

The City of Palmdale has determined that:

• The 3,773 objects of cultural patrimony described in this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
• There is a connection between the cultural items described in this notice and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation (previously listed as San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, California).

Requests for Repatriation

Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after June 18, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the City of Palmdale must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and not competing requests. The City of Palmdale is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting parties.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

91 FR 29162