File - Save Los Angeles`s First Cemetery El Campo Santo!

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240
H32 (2256)
MAR 2 ~ 2DlI
Dawn McDivitt, Chief Executive
Chief Executive Office - Capital Projects
County of Los Angeles
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ms. McDivitt:
This letter is a follow-up to the email from Ginger Carter of my staff, in February, 2011, in which the
National Park Service contacted you regarding information we received about the recent uncovering ofa
cemetery during the installation of a garden area at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Los Angeles. We
informed you that though this particular work was not funded under the National Park Service's Save
America's Treasures (SAT) grant to the Foundation (La Plaza de Cultura y Artes), nor was the NPS
informed of or given information on the proposed garden installation, we would not release any of the
'I
remaining $104,209.64 of SAT grant funds to the Foundation until this issue was resolved in consultation
with all concerned parties.
We asked you to assemble a meeting of all concerned parties so that we could better understand the
.events leading up to the disturbance and what needs to happen now that the cemetery has been
uncovered. You replied that the County was already working with the Foundation to develop a plan to
address the discovery and find a resolution that involves all of the stakeholders and interested parties
who had contacted your office and/or the Foundation.
Our office was recently contacted by Dave Singleton, of the California Native American Heritage
Commission, regarding this project and NPS's involvement. Mr. Singleton had been contacted by one of
his constituents concerned about the graves. We explained to his constituent the history of the SAT
funded project and what we had learned about the subsequent garden installation project. We also
assured him we would make sure to ask you to include any concerned parties he identified for this
project, in the consultation meeting(s) you were arranging.
He submitted to NPS the attached list of contacts which we are forwarding to you with this letter.
As you are aware, the grant funded work at the property was required to be evaluated under Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to ensure that historic properties were protected in the
course of the project. Under the alternative procedures, NPS deputized the grantee to perform the
necessary requirements of 36 CFR 800 "Protection of Historic Properties." As such, the discovery of
unknown archaeological features or remains are considered "post-review discoveries" and are subject
to the procedures outlined in Section 800.13 which allows for 2 potential pathways to resolution,
however, both require the participation of tribal leaders. Please review the procedures and consult with
NPS and the California SHPO to make an informed decision as to which resolution is correct in this
particular case.
We look forward to working with you to find an acceptable resolution to this issue in the near future.
Please contact me if you have any questions. I can be reached at 202-354-2067 or at
Hampton [email protected].
Enclosure: 36 CFR 800
cc:
Miguel Angel Corzo, CEO, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Mark Beason, CA SHPO
Joseph Ontiveros, Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians
Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Pala Band of Indians
Cindi Alvitre, Ti'At Society/Inter-Tribal Council of Pimu
Jon Tommy Rosas, Togva Ancestral Territorial Tribal Nation
Anthony Morales, Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians
San Dunlap, Gabrielino Tongva Nation
Henry Contreras, San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians
Russell Romo, San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians
Carmen Mojado, San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians
Mark Mojado, San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians
Rob Roy, La Jolla Band of Mission Indians
Shasta Gaughen, Kupa Cultural Center (Pala Band)
Bennae Calac, Pauma Valley Band of Luiseno Indians
Randall Majel, Pauma & Yuima Reservation
Kimberli Peters, EPA, Pauma & Yuima Reservation
Charles Devers, Pauma & Yuima Reservation
David Belardes, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation
Adolph Sepulveda, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
Anthony Rivera, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
Alfred Cruz, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
Sonia Johnson, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
Anita Espinoza, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians
Paul Macarro, Pechanga Band of Mission Indians
Anna Hoover, Pechanga Band of Mission Indians
Mark Macarro, Pechanga Band of Mission Indians
Willie Pink, Pechanga Band of lVIission Indians
Edwin Romero, Barona Group of the Capitan Grande
Robert Pinto, Ewiiaapaayp Tribal Office
Will Micklin, Ewiiaapaayp Tribal Office
Michael Garcia, Ewiiaapaayp Tribal Office
Gwendolyn Parada, La Posta Band of Mission Indians
Allen Lawson, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians
Kristie Orosco, San Pasqua I Band of Indians
Virgil Perez, Ipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
Clint Linton, Ipal Nation of Santa Ysabel
Danny Tucker, Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Anthony Pico, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Ron Christman, Kumeyaay Cultural Historic Committee
Monique LaChappa, Campo Kumeyaay Nation
Paul Cuero, Kumeyaay Cultural Heritage Preservation
Carmen Lucas, Kwaaymii Laguna Band of Mission Indians
Steve Banegas, Kumeyaay Cultural Repatriation Committee
M. Louis Guassac, Kumeyaay Diegueno Land Conservancy
Frank Brown, Viejas Kumeyaay Indian Reservation
Bernice Paipa, Kumeyaay Cultural Repatriation Committee
Leroy Elliott, Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Rebecca Osuna, Inaja Band of Mission Indians
Kenneth Meza, Jamul Indian Village
Mark Romero, Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians