Notice2025-23351
Notice of Inventory Completion: Pennsylvania Western University-California, California, PA
Primary source
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Published
December 19, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Pennsylvania Western University-California (PennWest-Cal) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 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 242 (Friday, December 19, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 242 (Friday, December 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 59540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23351]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6738; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041548; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Pennsylvania Western University-
California, California, PA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Pennsylvania Western University-California
(PennWest-Cal) has completed an inventory of human remains and
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects
and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after January 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Cassandra Kuba,
Department of Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pennsylvania
Western University, 250 University Avenue, Box #45, California, PA
15419, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#78130d1a1938081d16160f1d0b0c561d1c0d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f445a4d4e6f5f4a4141584a5c5b014a4b5a">[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
PennWest-Cal, 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 two individuals were removed
from a pre-contact site on a slope north of Webster, overlooking the
Monongahela River in southwestern Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in
the early 1970s and released to the university at a later date. The 50
associated funerary objects are beads (bone and ceramic), removed from
a mortuary feature associated with one of the individuals.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location and associated funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
PennWest-Cal has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 50 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 connection between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Delaware
Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; Seneca Nation of Indians;
Seneca-Cayuga Nation; The Osage Nation; and the Tonawanda Band of
Seneca.
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 January
20, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received,
PennWest-Cal 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 PennWest-Cal 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: December 8, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23351 Filed 12-18-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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