Notice of Inventory Completion: Alabama Department of Transportation, Montgomery, AL Publication: Federal Register Signing Official: Melanie O'Brien Department: Department of the Interior Date: 11 August 2022 Topic: United States Numbered Highways

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49609-49610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17295]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034334; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Alabama Department of 
Transportation, Montgomery, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has completed 
an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-
day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants 
or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization 
not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control 
of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request to ALDOT. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to ALDOT at the address in this notice by 
September 12, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William B. Turner, Alabama Department 
of Transportation, 1409 Coliseum Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36110, telephone 
(334) 242-6144, email turnerw@dot.state.al.us.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory

[[Page 49610]]

of human remains and associated funerary objects under the control of 
the Alabama Department of Transportation, Montgomery, AL. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the Hook 
Creek Site (1Et182) near Turkeytown, in Etowah County, AL.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Tennessee 
Valley Archaeological Research and Alabama Department of Transportation 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between November of 2020 and January of 2021, human remains 
representing, at minimum, 13 individuals were removed from the Hook 
Creek Site (1Et182) in Etowah County, AL. The human remains were 
recovered during Phase III Data Recovery excavations conducted by 
Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research (TVAR) archeologists prior to 
the construction of additional lanes on US 411 (ALDOT project STPAA-
0137(010)). No known individuals were identified. The 121 associated 
funerary objects are 57 pottery sherds, 41 pieces of stone debitage, 
one biface, four hafted bifaces, two greenstone fragments, one 
unmodified quartz cobble, one possible fish bone, four lots of 
unmodified stone, five lots of carbonized wood, one lot of fired clay, 
one lot of fire-cracked rock, one lot of blocky chert, and one lot of 
burial fill (approximately 300 cubic feet of unscreened burial fill 
segregated by individual burial feature per a request by The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation that all burial fill be retained).
    An early Late Archaic occupation of the site is indicated by the 
recovery of Ledbetter hafted bifaces and a possible associated 
structure, while a more extensive Late Woodland component associated 
with the Coker Ford phase is most evident in those portions of the site 
where human remains were encountered. The Coker Ford phase is defined 
primarily by a pottery assemblage dominated by Mulberry Creek Plain and 
small triangular arrow points, such as Hamilton and Madison projectile 
points (Walthall 1980:147-148). In addition to small triangular 
projectile points and a diagnostic Coker Ford ceramic assemblage 
recovered from site 1ET182, two Late Woodland radiocarbon assays were 
generated from carbonized materials. A sample from Feature 11 yielded a 
2-sigma calibrated date of A.D. 765-895, A.D. 714-744, and A.D. 928-940 
and a sample from Feature 1 yielded a 2-sigma calibrated date of A.D. 
574-657. Based on information obtained during consultation, site 1ET182 
is located within the historically Muskogean Language area.

Determinations Made by the Alabama Department of Transportation

    Officials of the Alabama Department of Transportation have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 13 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 121 objects 
described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as 
part of the death rite or ceremony.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to William B. Turner, Alabama Department of 
Transportation, 1409 Coliseum Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36110, telephone 
(334) 242-6144, email turnerw@dot.state.al.us, by September 12, 2022. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to The Muscogee (Creek) Nation may proceed.
    The Alabama Department of Transportation is responsible for 
notifying The Muscogee (Creek) Nation that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 3, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-17295 Filed 8-10-22; 8:45 am]
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