Partial human remains found during New Mexico Gas work on Kearny Road; archaeologist to file report

Shelby Mason, an archaeologist monitoring New Mexico Gas Company work, reported to the City of Santa Fe Archaeological Review Committee that partial human remains were found during installations of sacrificial anodes on Kearny Road.

Mason said the first find (on Feb. 25) was a partial femur and small fragments found at the end of the day; a subsequent location yielded a partial tibia and additional small fragments together with coffin nails. She said the discoveries were reported to the state reviewer (Michelle) and to Santa Fe police and that the work crews were instructed to hand‑dig and screen material once the finds were made. "I reported it to Michelle and Santa Fe police," Mason said. "I'm going to be writing a formal report on this, and I can submit it to the ARC for your reference."

Committee members asked that Mason prepare a formal report for the Historic Preservation Division and ARC files so the event and mitigation steps are documented locally as well as at the state level. Staff indicated that HPD and relevant state authorities have jurisdiction over the disposition and handling of human remains and that any report sharing would follow applicable rules.

Mason said the finds occurred in city right‑of‑way work and that crews reburied material after appropriate procedures; she will file a formal monitoring report and make it available to ARC staff.