[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20929]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
27 CFR Part 9
[Docket No. TTB-2014-0007; Notice No. 145A; Re: Notice No. 145]
RIN 1513-AC10
Proposed Expansion of the Sta. Rita Hills Viticultural Area;
Comment Period Extension
AGENCY: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is extending the
comment period for Notice No. 145, Proposed Expansion of the Sta. Rita
Hills Viticultural Area, a notice of proposed rulemaking published in
the Federal Register on August 7, 2014, for an additional 60 days. TTB
is taking this action in response to a request from an interested
party.
DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on August 7,
2014 (79 FR 46204), has been extended. Written comments on Notice No.
145 are now due on or before December 5, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments on Notice No. 145 to one of the
following addresses:
http://www.regulations.gov (via the online comment form
for Notice No. 145 as posted within Docket No. TTB-2014-0007 at
``Regulations.gov,'' the Federal e-rulemaking portal);
U.S. Mail: Director, Regulations and Rulings Division,
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Box 12,
Washington, DC 20005; or
Hand delivery/courier in lieu of mail: Alcohol and Tobacco
Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Suite 200E, Washington, DC
20005.
See the Public Participation section of this notice for specific
instructions and requirements for submitting comments, and for
information on how to request a public hearing.
You may view copies of the petition, selected supporting materials,
Notice No. 145, and all public comments associated with this proposal
within Docket No. TTB-2014-0007 at http://www.regulations.gov. You also
may view copies of the petition, the supporting materials, Notice No.
145, and all public comments associated with this proposal by
appointment at the TTB Information Resource Center, 1310 G Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20005. Please call 202-453-2270 to make an appointment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen A. Thornton, Regulations and
Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G
Street NW., Box 12, Washington, DC 20005; telephone 202-453-1039, ext.
175.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In Notice No. 145, a notice of proposed
rulemaking published in the Federal Register on August 7, 2014 (79 FR
46204), the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) requested
public comment on the proposed expansion of the approximately 33,380-
acre ``Sta. Rita Hills'' American viticultural area (27 CFR 9.162) in
Santa Barbara County, California. The proposed expansion would increase
the AVA by approximately 2,296 acres and would move the northeastern
boundary of the AVA east to a north-to-south canyon known as the
``Ca[ntilde]ada de los Palos Blancos,'' located west of Buellton. The
proposed expansion area contains three commercial vineyards, two of
which are currently divided by the existing AVA boundary. The 60-day
comment period for Notice No. 145 was originally scheduled to close on
October 6, 2014.
On August 18, 2014, TTB received a letter from the chairman of the
Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance requesting a 90-day extension of
the comment period for Notice No. 145 in order to allow more time for
industry members to submit comments. The letter states that many local
grape growers and winemakers are in the process of bottling previous
vintages and preparing for harvest and thus do not have adequate time
to prepare and submit comments before the end of the comment period.
This request is posted as Comment 20 within Docket No. TTB-2014-0007 at
www.regulations.gov.
In response to this request, TTB extends the comment period for
Notice No. 145 for an additional 60 days. Therefore, comments on Notice
No. 145 are now due on or before December 5, 2014. TTB believes that an
additional 60 days is an adequate extension of the comment period and
is consistent with previous comment period extensions TTB has granted.
TTB does not believe a 90-day extension is necessary because neither
Notice No. 145 nor the petition and its supporting materials are
voluminous or unusually complex, and a 60-day extension will extend the
comment period deadline well past the peak of the typical harvest
period.
Drafting Information
Karen A. Thornton of the Regulations and Rulings Division drafted
this notice.
Dated: August 26, 2014.
John J. Manfreda,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-20929 Filed 9-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P