Notice2025-14794
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University, Chico, CA
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 5, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California State University, Chico intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 148 (Tuesday, August 5, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 5, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37559-37560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14794]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6394; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040766; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University,
Chico, CA
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 California State University, Chico
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition
of sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony and that have a
cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after September 4, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Michelle Hansen, California State
University, Chico, 400 W. 1st Street, Chico, CA 95929, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#68050b0905180a0d04045951280b1b1d0b00010b07460d0c1d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f727c7e726f7d7a73732e265f7c6c6a7c77767c70317a7b6a">[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
California State University, Chico 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
Tomato Patch Village Site, Fort Ross Archaeological Project-AMA-WISA-TP
(CA-SON-1455/H)
A total of 4,013 cultural items, or lots of items, have been
requested for repatriation. The 4,013 sacred objects/objects of
cultural patrimony are 425 lots of obsidian flakes, 110 lots of
projectile points, 162 lots of soil, 370 lots of debitage, 68 lots of
glass, 242 lots of wood, 332 lots of unmodified faunal elements, 1,069
lots of modified stone, 14 lots of ceramics, 15 lot of metal, nine lots
of plastic, 810 lots of unmodified shell, 159 lots of modified shell,
six lots of modified clay, 42 lots of unmodified clay, 103 lots of
charcoal, one lot of ochre, and 76 lots of unmodified flora. The
archaeological recovery of the Tomato Patch Village Site (CA-SON-1455/
H) was carried out in the mid-1990's by Antoinette Martinez as part of
the Fort Ross Archaeological Project. The site is in Sonoma County and
sits along the coastline of northern California, within the traditional
territory of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians. No known potentially
hazardous substances were used to treat any of the cultural items.
Ridge Site, Fort Ross Archaeological Project-RS (CA-SON-177)
A total of 907 cultural items, or lots of items, have been
requested for repatriation. The 907 sacred objects/objects of cultural
patrimony are 92 lots of obsidian flakes, three lots of projectile
points, 32 lots of soil, 44 lots of debitage, 43 lots of glass, 21 lots
of wood, 102 lots of unmodified faunal elements, one lot of modified
faunal
[[Page 37560]]
elements, 255 lots of modified stone, one lot of ceramics, one lot of
metal, one lot of plastic, 247 lots of unmodified shell, three lots of
modified shell, eight lots of unmodified clay, 17 lots of charcoal, and
36 lots of unmodified flora. The archaeological recovery of the Ridge
Site (CA-SON-177) was conducted as part of the Fort Ross Archaeological
Project, which took place in the early 1990's in Sonoma County. The
archaeological recovery focused on the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians and
their interactions with Russian settlers during the colonial period. No
known potentially hazardous substances were used to treat any of the
cultural items.
Determinations
The California State University, Chico has determined that:
<bullet> The 4,920 sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony
described in this notice are, according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice
traditional Native American religion, and 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).
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of
the Stewarts Point Rancheria, 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 September 4, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the California State University, Chico 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 California State
University, Chico 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.
Dated: July 28, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-14794 Filed 8-4-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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