Notice2025-04377
Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM
Primary source
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Published
March 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest (GNF) intends to carry out the disposition of human remains and associated funerary objects removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 51 (Tuesday, March 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 12560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04377]
[[Page 12560]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039487; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Gila National Forest (GNF) intends to carry out the
disposition of human remains and associated funerary objects removed
from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe,
or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this
notice.
DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice may occur on or after April 17, 2025. If no claim for
disposition is received by March 18, 2026, the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice will become unclaimed human
remains and associated funerary objects.
ADDRESSES: Camille Howes, GNF Forest Supervisor, 3005 Camino del
Bosque, Silver City, NM 88061, telephone (575) 937-4878, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1350727e7a7f7f763d5b7c64766053666077723d747c65"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b8fbd9d5d1d4d4dd96f0d7cfddcbf8cdcbdcd996dfd7ce">[email protected]</span></a>.
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
GNF, and additional information on the human remains and associated
funerary objects in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the identifications in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individuals have been reasonably identified. No associated
funerary objects are present. On April 19, 2015, a hiker inadvertently
discovered human remains, along Brannon Park Trail 700, in the Gila
Wilderness Area, within the GNF, Wilderness Ranger District, in Grant
County, New Mexico. Archaeological reconnaissance did not reveal
archaeological material nor a disturbed site.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individuals have been reasonably identified. The one lot of
associated funerary objects are stones. The individual was removed
April 13, 2021 on the GNF, Quemado Ranger District, within Catron
County, New Mexico. Law enforcement believed the remains belonged to a
potential homicide or missing person. The New Mexico State Police
(NMSP) Crime Scene Team were notified and excavated the remains, taking
them to the Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI, Case 2021-03086)
in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Archaeological material was not found in
the immediate area. The location is not within a previously recorded
archaeological site. An OMI Forensic Anthropologist released the
remains back to GNF November 8, 2021, as the remains did not indicate
medico-legal significance.
Determinations
The GNF has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The one lot of objects 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.
<bullet> The Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Hopi Tribe of
Arizona; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New
Mexico; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni
Reservation, New Mexico and have priority for disposition of the human
remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.
Claims for Disposition
Written claims for disposition of the human remains and associated
funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the appropriate
official identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. If no claim for
disposition is received by March 18, 2026, the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice will become unclaimed human
remains and associated funerary objects. Claims for disposition may be
submitted by:
1. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization 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 they have priority for disposition.
Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects in
this notice may occur on or after April 17, 2025. If competing claims
for disposition are received, the GNF must determine the most
appropriate claimant prior to disposition. Requests for joint
disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects are
considered a single request and not competing requests. The GNF is
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the lineal
descendants, 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. 3002, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.7.
Dated: February 4, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-04377 Filed 3-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 18, 2025.
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