Notice of Inventory Completion: State University of New York at Cortland, Sociology/Anthropology Department, Cortland, NY

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland, Sociology/Anthropology Department, 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 91 Issue 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68542-68543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22142]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7590; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0044065; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: State University of New York at 
Cortland, Sociology/Anthropology Department, Cortland, NY

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 State University of New York (SUNY) at 
Cortland, Sociology/Anthropology Department, 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 November 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Kent Johnson, SUNY 
Cortland, Sociology/Anthropology Department, P.O. Box 2000, Cortland, 
NY 13045, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6308060d174d090c0b0d100c0d23000c11170f020d074d060716"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ef848a819bc1858087819c8081af8c809d9b838e818bc18a8b9a">[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 
SUNY Cortland Sociology/Anthropology Department, 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, six individuals have been 
identified. The, at least, 94 bags (of various sizes) of associated 
funerary objects include seeds, shell fragments, rock fragments, 
charred wood fragments, soil, non-human animal bone fragments, and 
plant fragments. At minimum, six individuals and their belongings were 
brought to SUNY Cortland by Dr. Ellie McDowell-Loudan in around the 
year 2010. The individuals and their belongings had been in the 
possession of the widow of an avocational archaeologist, thought to be 
Stephen J. Petrovsky. After his passing, his widow brought the 
individuals and their belongings to Dr. McDowell-Loudan at

[[Page 68543]]

SUNY Cortland. It is unknown when and from where the individuals were 
removed, but Mr. Petrovsky lived in and primarily excavated in and 
around Susquehannock lands in the 1970s, so it is believed the 
individuals were removed from a location in Susquehanna County, PA or 
Broome or Tioga County, NY. The individuals and their belongings were 
discovered in the archaeology lab at SUNY Cortland several years after 
Dr. McDowell-Loudan's retirement, at which time they were moved to a 
secure location within the SUNY Cortland Sociology/Anthropology 
Department.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    The SUNY Cortland Sociology/Anthropology Department has determined 
that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of, at least, six individuals of Native American 
ancestry.
    <bullet> The, at least, 94 bags 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> There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Onondaga 
Nation.

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 November 
30, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the SUNY 
Cortland Sociology/Anthropology Department 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 SUNY 
Cortland Sociology/Anthropology Department is responsible for sending a 
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice and any other consulting 
parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: October 22, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-22142 Filed 10-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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