SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the BIA and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Human remains representing, at least, three individuals have been identified. The one associated funerary object is a mammal bone. In 1950, human remains were recovered by a University of Washington Field Party possibly under the direction of Douglas Osborne, as a part of archeological investigations in Okanogan County in the Chief Joseph Reservoir, Okanogan County, WA. The site (45-OK-10) is located within the current boundaries of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. The recovered archeological materials, including human remains and funerary objects, were sent to the Washington State Museum, Seattle, WA (now the Thomas Burke Washington State Memorial Museum), and accession in 1966 (Accn. 1966-92). No known individuals were identified. In 1974, the Burke Museum transferred portions of the human remains to Seattle University. Sometime in the early 1990s, these human remains were transferred to the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, then subsequently transferred in 1992 to Eastern Washington University for identification. The site (45-OK-10) is located within the current boundaries of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. This area was historically and prehistorically occupied by the Interior Salishan group, the Nespelem. The artifacts from the site include both pre- and post-contact materials. The site is located between two major Hudson's Bay Company Forts, Fort Okanogan, which was in operation between 1812 to 1860, and Fort Colville, which was in operation between 1825-1870. There were few Euro-American settlers in the area until after 1900 (Osborne, Crabtree, and Brian 1952). Sites in the surrounding area (45OK159 and 45OK7) include historic funerary objects associated with Native American burials (Cook 2013). The Nespelem traditionally occupied the area surrounding the Nespelem River and the Columbia River to the confluence with the Okanogan River (Ruby and Brown 2010). The Nespelem speak Interior Salish. Today, the Nespelem are represented by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

The BIA has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The one object described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.
• There is a connection between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:

1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after August 21, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, BIA must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing requests. The BIA is responsible for sending a copy of this ( printed page 46138) notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

91 FR 46137