DAWSON CITY – Two of the three individuals' remains recently unearthed at the new wastewater treatment plant site have been identified as young First Nations males, the Yukon government said Thursday afternoon.

The third is an older male of European ancestry.

"The findings were confirmed after an analysis of the human remains conducted by Susan Mooney, an osteologist and heritage manager for the Carcross-Tagish First Nation,” the government said in a statement.

Further excavation of the site of the new secondary sewage treatment plant and examination of the first three bodies, coffins and artifacts discovered last week continued on Thursday under conditions somewhat less extreme that those of the day before. It was -15 C in the mid-

afternoon, as opposed to the -24 to -30 of Wednesday.

In addition, labourers on the project were provided with a heated tent in which to do some of their work.

The Guidelines Respecting the Discovery of Human Remains and First Nation Burial Sites in the Yukon are being followed on this project.

The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, Yukon and City of Dawson governments are working to determine plans for re-interment. First Nations with a related interest in the individuals will also be consulted.

The three governments will continue to collaborate on identifying the fourth individual recovered last Monday, whose remains have yet to be analyzed.

As Corix Water Systems continues to excavate the footprint for the wastewater plant's foundation, a close eye is being kept on each shovelful of dirt taken from the pit.

Supervisors, however, don't expect to find more remains on the south side where the digging is currently taking place.

It is anticipated that there will be more coffins to be found on the north and west sides of the pit, and digging will be carried out there as well.

Another project planned for the former grader yard is a district heating plant to be powered by bio-fuel wood chips.

An outline for the planned placement of this facility was staked on Thursday, with the intention of investigating that area as well.

Mike Fraser is the north region project manager, Dawson building development, for the Department of Highways and Public Works.

He confirmed that they will excavate that foundation area, as well as the area between the two proposed structures. The goal is to find all the anticipated burial sites and eliminate projects being slowed down when major construction resumes in the spring.

There has been speculation that some of the remains are from men hanged for murder by the North West Mounted Police during the Gold Rush era.