Notice2025-15411

Notice of Inventory Completion: David A. Fredrickson Archaeological Collections Facility at Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA

Primary source

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Published
August 14, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Sonoma State University has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 155 (Thursday, August 14, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 155 (Thursday, August 14, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39215-39216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15411]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6420; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040826; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: David A. Fredrickson 
Archaeological Collections Facility at Sonoma State University, Rohnert 
Park, 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 Sonoma State University has completed an 
inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there 
is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and 
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after September 15, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the associated 
funerary objects in this notice to Elise-Alexandria Green, Sonoma State 
University, 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e481888d9781ca839681818aa4978b8a8b8985ca818091"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5c3930352f39723b2e3939321c2f333233313d72393829">[email&#160;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 
Sonoma State University, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Based on the information available, 985 associated funerary objects 
have been identified.
    A total of 895 associated funerary objects were removed from CA-
KER-824 near McKittrick California, in Kern County. The associated 
funerary objects were removed from the site during archaeological 
survey and monitoring by the Sonoma State University Academic 
Foundation Inc, contracted by the Getty Oil Company of Bakersfield, 
California. The 895 associated funerary objects are flaked stone tools, 
debitage, groundstone tools, historic material, modified shell, shell 
beads, faunal bone, and deity shell. The cultural items have been at 
Sonoma State University since 1980 under the number 80-09.
    In 1973, 89 associated funerary objects were donated to Sonoma 
State University by Ken Russel. The cultural items were removed from 
the Old Kern River 20 miles north of Taft in Kern County, California. 
The cultural items are glass and shell beads. The cultural items have 
been at Sonoma State University since their donation under the number 
73-31.
    In 1988, one associated funerary object was removed from near Buena 
Vista Lake in Kern County, California. No additional information on why 
the item was removed from its location or why it was brought to Sonoma 
State were located. The cultural item is a flaked stone tool. The 
cultural item has been at the university since under the number 88-13
    Based on records concerning the associated funerary objects and the 
institution in which they were housed, there is no evidence of the 
cultural items being treated with hazardous substances.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is identified clearly by information available, 
including oral traditional, geographical, and biological information 
described in this notice and Tejon Indian Tribe.

Determinations

    The Sonoma State University has determined that:
    <bullet> The 985 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> There is a reasonable connection between the associated 
funerary objects described in this notice and the Tejon Indian Tribe.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the 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

[[Page 39216]]

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 objects in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after September 15, 2025. If competing 
requests for repatriation are received, the Sonoma State University 
must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the associated funerary objects are 
considered a single request and not competing requests. The Sonoma 
State University is responsible for sending a copy of this 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.

    Dated: August 5, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-15411 Filed 8-13-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on August 14, 2025.

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