Notices. Notice
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/register/2026/05/12/2026-09416·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [N7153; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042769; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000] Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of Transportation, Oakland, CA AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 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 June 11, 2026. ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice to Cesar Villanueva, PQS Principal Investigator—Precontact Archaeology, California Department of Transportation, District 4, 111 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612, email *Cesar.Villanueva@dot.ca.gov.* 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 Caltrans, 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 Associated funerary objects identified as 357 catalog entries representing lithics, paleobotanicals, soil samples, faunal remains, shell, light fraction samples, ground stone, and post-contact historic artifacts.
Of the 357 associated funerary objects, four catalog numbers are missing, and Caltrans and Sonoma State University
(SSU)continue to look for them. This collection is from Sonoma County along Highway 1 and is housed at SSU. The collection is the result of Caltrans project-delivery related excavations at CA-SON-348/H (Accession No. 2013-18) in 2008 and 2009. There are no known/documented potentially hazardous substances used to treat any of the cultural items. Cultural Affiliation Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available about the associated funerary objects described in this notice. Determinations Caltrans has determined that: • The 357 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. • There is a connection between associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, California and the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria, California. 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 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 associated funerary objects described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after June 11, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Caltrans 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. Caltrans 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: May 5, 2026. Melanie O'Brien, Manager, National NAGPRA Program. [FR Doc. 2026-09416 Filed 5-11-26; 8:45 am]
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- 43 CFR 10.10
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