2023-23281. Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of Transportation, Sacramento, CA, and California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), with the assistance of California State University, Sacramento, has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between an associated funerary object and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The associated funerary object was removed from Sacramento County, CA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the associated funerary object in this notice may occur on or after November 22, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Lisa Bright, California Department of Transportation, 703 B Street, Marysville, CA 95901, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 Caltrans. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held by Caltrans.

Description

Between 1959 and 1997, several different excavations were carried out at CA–SAC–166 in Sacramento County, CA, and were detailed in a Notice of Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2021. After repatriation of the published collection occurred, an additional associated funerary object was discovered. The one associated funerary object is a groundstone.

Cultural Affiliation

The associated funerary object in this notice is connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were used to reasonably trace the relationship: anthropological, archeological, geographical, historical, linguistical, oral traditional, and expert opinion.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations Caltrans has determined that:

• The one object described in this notice is 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.

• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the associated funerary object described in this notice and the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson Band of Miwuk Indians; Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California; and the Wilton Rancheria, California.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary object in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the associated funerary object in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after November 22, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Caltrans must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the associated funerary object are considered a single request and not competing requests. Caltrans is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, and 10.14.

Dated: October 11, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.