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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 
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[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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