19908 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

boundary line of section 18, crossing 

over the Snake River, and continue 

along the southern boundary line of 

section 17, T11N/R45E, to the southeast 

corner of section 17; then 

(2) Proceed north along the eastern 

boundary line of section 17 to the 600- 

meter elevation contour; then 

(3) Proceed generally east-northeast 

along the meandering 600-meter 

elevation contour, crossing into Idaho 

and onto the Orofino map, then 

continue to follow the elevation contour 

in an overall clockwise direction, 

crossing back and forth between the 

Orofino and Clarkston maps and finally 

onto the Potlatch map, and then 

continuing to follow the 600-meter 

elevation contour in a clockwise 

direction to the elevation contour’s 

intersection with the southern boundary 

line of section 1, T37N/R1W, on the 

Potlatch map, north of the Nez Perce 

Indian Reservation boundary and west 

of the Dworshak Reservoir (North Fork 

of the Clearwater River) in Clearwater 

County, Idaho; then 

(4) Cross the Dworshak Reservoir 

(North Fork of the Clearwater River) by 

proceeding east along the southern 

boundary line of section 1, T37N/R1E, 

to the southeastern corner of section 1; 

then by proceeding north along the 

eastern boundary line of section 1 to the 

southwest corner of section 6, T37N/

R2E; and then by proceeding east along 

the southern boundary line of section 6 

to the 600-meter elevation contour; then 

(5) Proceed generally east initially, 

then generally south, and then generally 

southeast along the meandering 600- 

meter elevation contour, crossing onto 

the Orofino map, and then continuing to 

follow the elevation contour in an 

overall clockwise direction, crossing 

back and forth between the Orofino and 

Potlatch maps, to the eastern boundary 

of section 13, T35N/R2E, on the Orofino 

map in Clearwater County, Idaho; then 

(6) Proceed south along the eastern 

boundary of section 13, T35N/R2E, to 

the southeastern corner of section 13, 

T35N/R2E, northeast of Lolo Creek; then 

(7) Proceed west along the southern 

boundary line of section 13, T35N/R2E, 

to the Clearwater–Idaho County line in 

the middle of Lolo Creek; then 

(8) Proceed generally west-northwest 

along the Clearwater–Idaho County line 

(concurrent with Lolo Creek) to the 

Lewis County line at the confluence of 

Lolo Creek and the Clearwater River; 

then 

(9) Proceed generally south along the 

Lewis–Idaho County line (concurrent 

with the Clearwater River) to the 

northern boundary line of section 23, 

T35N/R2E; then 

(10) Proceed west along the northern 

boundary line of section 23, T35N/R2E, 

to the 600-meter elevation contour; then 

(11) Proceed generally northwest 

along the meandering 600-meter 

elevation contour, crossing onto the 

Potlatch map and then back onto the 

Orofino map and continuing generally 

southwest along the 600-meter elevation 

contour to the common T32N/T31N 

township boundary line along the 

southern boundary line of section 35, 

T32N/R5W, south of Chimney Creek (a 

tributary of the Snake River) in Nez 

Perce County, Idaho; then 

(12) Proceed west along the common 

T32N/T31N township boundary line, 

crossing Chimney Creek, to the Idaho– 

Washington State line (concurrent with 

the Nez Perce–Asotin County line) at 

the center of the Snake River; then 

(13) Proceed generally southeast along 

the Idaho–Washington State line in the 

Snake River to the northern boundary 

line of section 29, T31N/R5W; then 

(14) Proceed west along the northern 

boundary line of section 29, T31N/R5W, 

to the 600-meter elevation contour, 

northeast of Lime Hill in Asotin County, 

Washington; then 

(15) Proceed generally west and then 

generally south-southwest along the 

meandering 600-meter elevation contour 

to the southern boundary line of section 

25, T7N/R46E; then 

(16) Proceed west along the southern 

boundary lines of section 25 and 26, 

crossing onto the Clarkston map, and 

continuing along the southern boundary 

lines of section 26 to the 600-meter 

elevation contour west of Joseph Creek; 

then 

(17) Proceed southeast along the 

meandering 600-meter elevation contour 

to the western boundary line of section 

34, T7N/R46E; then 

(18) Proceed north along the western 

boundary lines of sections 34 and 27, 

T7N/R46E, crossing over the Grande 

Ronde River, to the 600-meter elevation 

contour; then 

(19) Proceed generally northeast along 

the meandering 600-meter elevation 

contour and continue along the 600- 

meter elevation contour in a clockwise 

direction, crossing back and forth 

between the Clarkston and Orofino 

maps, until, on the Clarkston map, the 

600-meter elevation line intersects the 

Garfield–Asotin County line for the 

third time along the western boundary 

of section 19, T11N/R45E; and then 

(20) Proceed north along the Garfield– 

Asotin County line, returning to the 

beginning point. 

Signed: April 7, 2015. 

John J. Manfreda, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08501 Filed 4–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–31–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade 

Bureau 

27 CFR Part 9 

[Docket No. TTB–2015–0006; Notice No. 

150] 

RIN 1513–AC18 

Proposed Establishment of the Eagle 

Foothills Viticultural Area 

AGENCY: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and 

Trade Bureau, Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax 

and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to 

establish the approximately 49,815-acre 

‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ viticultural area in 

Gem and Ada Counties in Idaho. The 

proposed viticultural area lies entirely 

within the Snake River Valley 

viticultural area. TTB designates 

viticultural areas to allow vintners to 

better describe the origin of their wines 

and to allow consumers to better 

identify wines they may purchase. TTB 

invites comments on this proposed 

addition to its regulations. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

June 15, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Please send your comments 

on this notice to one of the following 

addresses: 

• Internet: http://www.regulations.gov 

(via the online comment form for this 

notice as posted within Docket No. 

TTB–2015–0006 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 

200–E, 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 or view or obtain 

copies of the petition and supporting 

materials. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karen A. Thornton, Regulations and 

Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco 

Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 19909 

1www.sweetpepperranch.com/local-attractions/

riding-destinations/eagle-foothills. 

2www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1709698. 

3www.ktvb.com/story/local/2014/07/16/

11528375. 

4Eric Degerman. ‘‘Idaho’s high-elevation Pinot 

Gris produces awards, fans.’’ Great Northwest Wine, 

June 11, 2013. www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2013/ 

06/11. 

5www.achdidaho.org/projects/

PublicProject.aspx?ProjectID=124. 

NW., Box 12, Washington, DC 20005; 

phone 202–453–1039, ext. 175. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background on Viticultural Areas 

TTB Authority 

Section 105(e) of the Federal Alcohol 

Administration Act (FAA Act), 27 

U.S.C. 205(e), authorizes the Secretary 

of the Treasury to prescribe regulations 

for the labeling of wine, distilled spirits, 

and malt beverages. The FAA Act 

provides that these regulations should, 

among other things, prohibit consumer 

deception and the use of misleading 

statements on labels and ensure that 

labels provide the consumer with 

adequate information as to the identity 

and quality of the product. The Alcohol 

and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau 

(TTB) administers the FAA Act 

pursuant to section 1111(d) of the 

Homeland Security Act of 2002, 

codified at 6 U.S.C. 531(d). The 

Secretary has delegated various 

authorities through Treasury 

Department Order 120–01 (Revised), 

dated December 10, 2013, to the TTB 

Administrator to perform the functions 

and duties in the administration and 

enforcement of this law. 

Part 4 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 

part 4) authorizes TTB to establish 

definitive viticultural areas and regulate 

the use of their names as appellations of 

origin on wine labels and in wine 

advertisements. Part 9 of the TTB 

regulations (27 CFR part 9) sets forth 

standards for the preparation and 

submission of petitions for the 

establishment or modification of 

American viticultural areas (AVAs) and 

lists the approved AVAs. 

Definition 

Section 4.25(e)(1)(i) of the TTB 

regulations (27 CFR 4.25(e)(1)(i)) defines 

a viticultural area for American wine as 

a delimited grape-growing region having 

distinguishing features, as described in 

part 9 of the regulations, and a name 

and a delineated boundary, as 

established in part 9 of the regulations. 

These designations allow vintners and 

consumers to attribute a given quality, 

reputation, or other characteristic of a 

wine made from grapes grown in an area 

to the wine’s geographic origin. The 

establishment of AVAs allows vintners 

to describe more accurately the origin of 

their wines to consumers and helps 

consumers to identify wines they may 

purchase. Establishment of an AVA is 

neither an approval nor an endorsement 

by TTB of the wine produced in that 

area. 

Requirements 

Section 4.25(e)(2) of the TTB 

regulations (27 CFR 4.25(e)(2)) outlines 

the procedure for proposing an AVA 

and provides that any interested party 

may petition TTB to establish a grapegrowing region as an AVA. Section 9.12 

of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 9.12) 

prescribes the standards for petitions for 

the establishment or modification of 

AVAs. Petitions to establish an AVA 

must include the following: 

• Evidence that the area within the 

proposed AVA boundary is nationally 

or locally known by the AVA name 

specified in the petition; 

• An explanation of the basis for 

defining the boundary of the proposed 

AVA; 

• A narrative description of the 

features of the proposed AVA affecting 

viticulture, such as climate, geology, 

soils, physical features, and elevation, 

that make the proposed AVA distinctive 

and distinguish it from adjacent areas 

outside the proposed viticultural AVA; 

• The appropriate United States 

Geological Survey (USGS) map(s) 

showing the location of the proposed 

AVA, with the boundary of the 

proposed AVA clearly drawn thereon; 

and 

• A detailed narrative description of 

the proposed AVA boundary based on 

USGS map markings. 

Eagle Foothills Petition 

TTB received a petition from Martha 

Cunningham, owner of the 3 Horse 

Ranch Vineyards, on behalf of the local 

grape growers and vintners, proposing 

the establishment of the ‘‘Eagle 

Foothills’’ AVA. The original proposed 

name for the AVA was ‘‘Willow Creek 

Idaho.’’ However, after TTB determined 

that the name evidence provided in the 

petition did not sufficiently demonstrate 

that the region is known by that name, 

the petitioner submitted a request to 

change the proposed AVA name to 

‘‘Eagle Foothills.’’ 

The proposed Eagle Foothills AVA 

covers portions of Gem and Ada 

Counties, Idaho, and is located to the 

immediate north of the city of Eagle and 

approximately 10 miles northwest of the 

city of Boise. The proposed AVA lies 

entirely within the established Snake 

River Valley AVA (27 CFR 9.208) and 

does not overlap any other existing or 

proposed AVA. The proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA contains approximately 

49,815 acres, with 9 commerciallyproducing vineyards covering a total of 

67 acres distributed throughout the 

proposed AVA. The petition states that 

an additional 4 acres will soon be added 

to an existing vineyard. Additionally, 7 

commercial vineyards covering 

approximately 472 acres are planned 

within the proposed AVA in the next 

few years. 

According to the petition, the 

distinguishing features of the proposed 

Eagle Foothills AVA include its 

topography, soils, and climate. Unless 

otherwise noted, all information and 

data pertaining to the proposed AVA 

contained in this document are from the 

petition for the proposed Eagle Foothills 

AVA and its supporting exhibits. 

Name Evidence 

The proposed Eagle Foothills AVA is 

located on the southwestern flanks of 

Prospect Peak and Crown Point, two 

prominent peaks in the mountainous 

region known as the ‘‘Boise Front,’’ 

which rises to the east of the proposed 

AVA. Due to its location north of the 

city of Eagle and within the foothills of 

the Boise Front, the region of the 

proposed AVA is commonly referred to 

as the ‘‘Eagle Foothills.’’ 

The petitioner provided several 

examples of the use of ‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ 

to refer to the region of the proposed 

AVA. For example, a local ranch offers 

several guided horseback tours, 

including one through the ‘‘Eagle 

Foothills.’’ 1 A Web site dedicated to 

hiking in Idaho features the ‘‘Eagle 

Foothills Little Gulch Loop’’ trail, which 

is located within the proposed AVA.2 A 

news story from a local television 

station described a wildfire within the 

proposed AVA, which destroyed several 

houses in ‘‘the Eagle Foothills.’’ 3 A Web 

site dedicated to news and reviews of 

wines from the northwestern United 

States features a story about 3 Horse 

Ranch Vineyards, which is located 

within the proposed AVA, and refers to 

the vineyard and winery as being 

located ‘‘in the Eagle Foothills north of 

Boise.’’ 4 The Ada County Highway 

District Web site includes a page about 

transportation projects ‘‘in and around 

the Eagle Foothills,’’ including funding 

to improve State Highway 16, which 

runs through the proposed AVA.5 A real 

estate listing for a home for sale within 

the proposed AVA, describes the home 

as being ‘‘close to the Eagle Foothills 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
19910 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

6www.brechtproperties.com/Property/3175-WHomer-Road-Eagle-Idaho. 

7www.m3companiesllc.com/communities/

m3eagle. 

8C.L. McGrath, Ecoregions of Idaho (Reston, VA: 

U.S. Geological Survey, 2002). 9 Ibid. 

equestrian trails.’’ 6 Finally, a planned 

community being developed within a 

portion of the proposed AVA is 

described as covering ‘‘land running 

. . . along the Eagle Foothills.’’ 7

Boundary Evidence 

The northern boundary of the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA follows 

straight lines drawn between peaks 

marked on the USGS Southwest Emmett 

and Southeast Emmett quadrangle 

maps. The boundary separates the 

rugged terrain of the proposed AVA 

from the lower, flatter elevations of 

Emmett Valley and the Payette River 

Plain. The proposed eastern boundary 

follows the 3,400-foot elevation contour 

and lines drawn between peaks on the 

USGS Pearl and Eagle quadrangle maps 

to approximate the eastern boundary of 

the established Snake River Valley 

AVA. TTB notes that the proposed 

boundary is only an approximation of 

the Snake River Valley AVA because the 

established AVA’s boundaries were 

drawn using maps that measure 

elevations in meters instead of feet. The 

proposed eastern boundary separates 

the proposed AVA from the higher 

elevations of the Boise Front, including 

Prospect Peak and Crown Point. The 

proposed southern boundary follows 

roads marked on the USGS Eagle, Star, 

and Middleton quadrangle maps in 

order to separate the proposed AVA 

from the lower elevations and urban 

landscape of the cities of Eagle and 

Boise. The proposed western boundary 

follows the Ada–Canyon County line 

and separates the proposed AVA from 

the lower elevations and flatter terrain 

of the Boise River Plain. 

Distinguishing Features 

The distinguishing features of the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA include 

its topography, soils, and climate. 

Topography 

According to the petition, the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA is located 

within the Unwooded Alkaline 

Foothills ecoregion of Idaho.8 This 

ecoregion is defined as an arid, sparsely 

populated region of rolling foothills, 

benches, and alluvial fans commonly 

underlain by alkaline lake bed deposits. 

Perennial streams are rare, but limited 

agriculture occurs where there is water 

available for irrigation. Most of the 

landscape is used for grazing livestock 

or as wildlife habitat. 

A network of seasonal creeks, 

including Willow Creek, Big Gulch 

Creek, Little Gulch Creek, Woods Gulch, 

and their tributaries, flow southwesterly 

through the proposed AVA and have 

etched deep gulches. The rugged terrain 

has a variety of slope aspects, including 

a multitude of south-facing slopes that 

are preferred by vineyard owners. Slope 

angles vary within the proposed AVA 

from 2 to 15 degrees, with an average of 

8 degrees. Elevations within the 

proposed AVA range from 2,490 feet to 

approximately 3,400 feet, with an 

average elevation of approximately 

2,900 feet. 

The topography of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA is distinguishable from 

that of the surrounding regions. To the 

north of the proposed AVA is Emmett 

Valley and the Payette River Plain, 

which are classified within the Treasure 

Valley ecoregion of Idaho. The Treasure 

Valley ecoregion is described as being 

heavily irrigated for agricultural 

purposes and having a much greater 

population density than the Unwooded 

Alkaline Foothills ecoregion in which 

the proposed AVA is located.9

Elevations in Emmett Valley and the 

Payette River Plain are lower and flatter 

than within the proposed AVA. To the 

east of the proposed AVA is the 

mountainous region known as the Boise 

Front, which has higher elevations than 

the proposed AVA. Crown Point and 

Prospect Peak, the two peaks in the 

Boise Front that are closest to the 

proposed AVA, reach 5,163 feet and 

4,867 feet, respectively. To the south 

and west of the proposed AVA is the 

Boise River Plain, which has lower 

elevations and is classified as a 

continuation of the Treasure Valley 

ecoregion. Slope angles are shallow in 

the Boise River Plain, averaging less 

than 2 percent. The region to the south 

of the proposed AVA is also heavily 

urbanized and contains the cities of 

Boise and Eagle, in contrast with the 

relatively undeveloped proposed AVA. 

The topography of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA has an effect on 

viticulture. For example, the elevations 

within the proposed AVA are higher 

than the elevations in the regions to the 

north, west and south, so cold air drains 

away from the proposed AVA and pools 

in the neighboring plains and valleys. 

As a result, damaging frosts are not as 

common within the proposed AVA as 

they are in the lower surrounding 

regions. Additionally, the abundance of 

south-facing slopes within the proposed 

AVA allows vineyards to be planted 

where the vines can receive the most 

sunlight. According to the petition, a 

vineyard on a south-facing slope with a 

10 percent slope angle can receive 25 

percent more sunlight than a vineyard 

planted on a flat site. 

Soils 

Loams, sandy loams, coarse sandy 

loams, and stony loams are the 

predominate soils of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA. These soils derived from 

the erosion of the sedimentary bedrock 

that once formed the bottom of the 

ancient Lake Idaho, as well as from the 

erosion of the granitic mountains of the 

Boise Front. Small amounts of volcanic 

ash are present in the soils, and levels 

of organic matter are low. The soils are 

notable for their large, irregularly 

shaped, coarse grains, which allow 

water to drain quickly and thoroughly 

and contribute to a relatively low waterholding capacity. Depth to bedrock 

ranges from 25 to 50 inches, and pH 

levels range from mildly acidic (6.75) to 

mildly alkaline (7.25). 

The soils of the surrounding regions 

are distinguishable from the soils of the 

proposed AVA. To the north and south 

of the proposed AVA, the soils are 

primarily derived from active floodplain alluvium from the Payette and 

Boise River systems, respectively. These 

soils have a finer, more uniform texture 

and greater water-holding capacity than 

the coarser, larger-grained soils of the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA. To the 

east, the soils in the mountains of the 

Boise Front are derived primarily from 

granite and volcanic materials and lack 

the sedimentary materials found in the 

soils of the proposed AVA. To the west 

of the proposed AVA, the soils become 

increasingly fine-grained and the depth 

to bedrock increases due to greater 

wind-blown and alluvial deposition. 

According to the petition, soils to the 

west of the proposed AVA can reach 

depths of 150 inches or more. 

The soils of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA have an effect on 

viticulture. The large, coarse, irregularly 

shaped grains found in most of the soils 

of the proposed AVA do not fit together 

tightly, allowing for ‘‘pockets’’ of 

oxygen to form between the grains. 

These ‘‘pockets’’ promote healthy root 

growth because if a soil is too 

compacted, the roots can essentially 

suffocate and die from lack of oxygen. 

The spaces between soil grains also 

discourage rot and mildew because they 

allow water to drain more rapidly than 

finer, uniform soil grains that are more 

closely packed together. The depth of 

the soil within the proposed AVA 

allows roots to reach depths that are 

deep enough to not be overly sensitive 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 19911 

10 In the Winkler climate classification system, 

annual heat accumulation during the growing 

season, measured in annual growing degree days 

(GDD), defines climatic regions. One GDD 

accumulates for each degree Fahrenheit that a day’s 

mean temperature is above 50 degrees, the 

minimum temperature required for grapevine 

growth (‘‘General Viticulture,’’ by Albert J. Winkler, 

University of California Press, 1974, pages 61–64). 

11 Data for the listed weather stations gathered 

from the Western Regional Climate Center, 

www.wrcc.dri.edu. 

12The Parameter Elevation Regression on 

Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) climate data 

mapping system combined climate normals 

gathered from weather stations, along with other 

factors such as elevation, longitude, slope angles, 

and solar aspect to estimate the general climate 

patterns for the proposed AVA and the surrounding 

regions. Climate normals are only calculated every 

10 years, using 30 years of data, and at the time the 

petition was submitted, the most recent climate 

normals available were from the period of 1971– 

2000. 

to changes in soil moisture level, but the 

soils are not so deep as to encourage 

overly vigorous vine growth. Finally, 

the pH levels of the soils are neutral 

enough to promote the optimal 

absorption of necessary mineral 

nutrients such as zinc and iron. 

Climate 

The petition provided information to 

show that the climate of the proposed 

Eagle Foothills AVA is distinguishable 

from that of the surrounding regions. 

The following table from the petition 

summarizes the annual precipitation 

amounts, average growing season 

temperature, growing degree day (GDD) 

accumulation 10, last spring and first fall 

frost dates, and length of the frost-free 

period for the proposed AVA and the 

surrounding regions 11. Because there 

are no weather stations located within 

the proposed AVA, the petitioner used 

the PRISM climate model 12 to estimate 

the temperature and precipitation data 

for the proposed AVA. 

Variable Proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA 

Caldwell 

(southwest of 

proposed AVA) 

Emmett (north 

of proposed 

AVA) 

Nampa 

(southwest of 

proposed AVA) 

Boise–‘‘7 N’’ 

Station (east of 

proposed AVA) 

Boise–Air 

Terminal 

Station 

(southeast of 

proposed AVA) 

Average annual precipitation 

(inches).

14.3 .................. 11.4 .................. 13.8 .................. 10.9 .................. 19.2 .................. 11.7. 

Average annual GDD accumulation.2,418 ................ 2,939 ................ 2,728 ................ 2,695 ................ 2,299 ................ 2,930. 

Average date of last spring frost May 12 ............. April 24 ............ May 6 ............... May 5 ............... May 24 ............. May 10. 

Average date of first fall frost ...... October 3 ......... October 7 ......... October 7 ......... October 11 ....... October 5 ......... October 6. 

Average annual frost-free period 

(days).

144 ................... 165 ................... 153 ................... 160 ................... 133 ................... 149. 

The proposed Eagle Foothills AVA 

has a cool climate, as evidenced by the 

short growing season and low GDD 

accumulations. The cool climate of the 

proposed AVA places it in Region 1b of 

the Winkler classification system, 

meaning that early- and mid-season 

varieties of grapes, such as Chardonnay, 

Pinot Gris, and Riesling, can 

successfully grow and ripen. 

Additionally, the cool temperatures of 

the proposed AVA produce grapes with 

lower acidity levels than the same grape 

varietals grown in warmer climates. 

Finally, the rainfall amounts within the 

proposed AVA are sufficient to promote 

healthy vine growth but also are low 

enough to produce small berries with 

concentrated flavors that are not diluted 

by an excess of water. 

The climate of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA is different from that of 

the surrounding region. The higher 

elevations to the east, where the Boise 

‘‘7N’’ weather station is located, have 

higher precipitation amounts, a shorter 

growing season, and lower GDD 

accumulations (indicating cooler 

growing season temperatures) that 

would not allow most varieties of grapes 

to ripen reliably. The Caldwell, Emmett, 

Nampa, and Boise Air Terminal weather 

stations, all of which are at lower 

elevations than the proposed AVA, have 

lower precipitation amounts, a longer 

growing season, and higher GDD 

accumulations (indicating warmer 

growing season temperatures). Based on 

the GDD accumulations, these lower 

plains regions are classified as Region II 

areas in the Winkler classification 

system. 

Summary of Distinguishing Features 

In summary, the topography, soils, 

and climate of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA distinguish it from the 

surrounding regions. The following 

table, derived from information in the 

petition, compares the features of the 

proposed AVA to the features of the 

surrounding areas. 

Region Characteristics 

Proposed Eagle Foothills 

AVA.

Rugged terrain; moderate elevations; low GDD accumulations; short growing season; moderate annual rainfall 

amounts; rapidly-draining coarse-grained soils derived from sedimentary bedrock. 

North, South, and West of 

proposed AVA.

Flat valley terrain; low elevations; low annual rainfall amounts; high GDD accumulations; long growing season; 

slow draining, fine-grained soils derived from alluvium. 

East of proposed AVA ......... Mountainous terrain; very high elevations; very low GDD accumulations; very short growing season; high annual 

rainfall amounts; soils derived from granite and volcanic material. 

Comparison of the Proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA to the Existing Snake 

River Valley AVA 

Snake River Valley AVA 

T.D. TTB–59, which published in the 

Federal Register on March 9, 2007 (72 

FR 10598), established the Snake River 

Valley AVA in portions of southeastern 

Oregon and southwestern Idaho. The 

AVA covers the remains of the ancient 

Lake Idaho, which filled the western 

part of the Snake River Valley 

approximately 4 million years ago. 

Much of the AVA boundary follows the 

1,040-meter elevation contour because 

conditions above that elevation are not 

conducive to viticulture. The Snake 

River Valley AVA is described in T.D. 

TTB–59 as a semiarid desert with 

annual rainfall amounts of 10 to 12 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
19912 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

inches and as having a frost-free period 

from May 10 to September 29. 

Vineyards within the AVA are typically 

planted in shallow soils on slopes. 

The proposed Eagle Foothills AVA is 

located along the eastern edge of the 

Snake River Valley AVA and shares 

some broad characteristics with the 

established AVA. The proposed AVA is 

also located within the remains of 

ancient Lake Idaho at elevations below 

1,040 meters (approximately 3,412 feet). 

Like much of the Snake River Valley 

AVA, the proposed Eagle Foothills AVA 

is a semiarid region with vineyards 

planted on slopes to maximize sunlight 

exposure and minimize the risk of frost. 

However, the proposed viticultural area 

receives several more inches of rainfall 

annually, in comparison with the 

majority of the Snake River Valley AVA. 

Additionally, the growing season for the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA is 

slightly longer. Finally, although T.D. 

TTB–59 states that the soils within the 

large Snake River Valley AVA are too 

varied to be a distinguishing feature, the 

much smaller proposed Eagle Foothills 

AVA has fairly uniform soil 

characteristics throughout, and the soils 

of the proposed AVA can be 

distinguished from the soils of the 

surrounding regions. 

TTB Determination 

TTB concludes that the petition to 

establish the approximately 49,815-acre 

Eagle Foothills AVA merits 

consideration and public comment, as 

invited in this notice of proposed 

rulemaking. 

Boundary Description 

See the narrative description of the 

boundary of the petitioned-for AVA in 

the proposed regulatory text published 

at the end of this proposed rule. 

Maps 

The petitioner provided the required 

maps, and they are listed below in the 

proposed regulatory text. 

Impact on Current Wine Labels 

Part 4 of the TTB regulations prohibits 

any label reference on a wine that 

indicates or implies an origin other than 

the wine’s true place of origin. For a 

wine to be labeled with an AVA name 

or with a brand name that includes an 

AVA name or other term identified as 

being viticulturally significance in part 

9 of the TTB regulations, at least 85 

percent of the wine must be derived 

from grapes grown within the area 

represented by that name or other term, 

and the wine must meet the other 

conditions listed in 27 CFR 4.25(e)(3). If 

the wine is not eligible for labeling with 

an AVA name or other viticulturally 

significant term and that name or term 

appears in the brand name, then the 

label is not in compliance and the 

bottler must change the brand name and 

obtain approval of a new label. 

Similarly, if the AVA name or other 

viticulturally significant term appears in 

another reference on the label in a 

misleading manner, the bottler would 

have to obtain approval of a new label. 

Different rules apply if a wine has a 

brand name containing an AVA name or 

other viticulturally significant term that 

was used as a brand name on a label 

approved before July 7, 1986. See 

§ 4.39(i)(2) of the TTB regulations (27 

CFR 4.39(i)(2)) for details. 

If TTB establishes this proposed AVA, 

its name, ‘‘Eagle Foothills,’’ will be 

recognized as a name of viticultural 

significance under § 4.39(i)(3) of the 

TTB regulations (27 CFR 4.39(i)(3)). The 

text of the proposed regulation clarifies 

this point. Consequently, wine bottlers 

using the name ‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ in a 

brand name, including a trademark, or 

in another label reference as to the 

origin of the wine, would have to ensure 

that the product is eligible to use the 

AVA name as an appellation of origin if 

this proposed rule is adopted as a final 

rule. 

The approval of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA would not affect any 

existing AVA, and any bottlers using 

‘‘Snake River Valley’’ as an appellation 

of origin or in a brand name for wines 

made from grapes grown within the 

Snake River Valley would not be 

affected by the establishment of this 

new AVA. The establishment of the 

proposed Eagle Foothills AVA would 

allow vintners to use ‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ 

and ‘‘Snake River Valley’’ as 

appellations of origin for wines made 

from grapes grown within the proposed 

Eagle Foothills AVA, if the wines meet 

the eligibility requirements for the 

appellation. 

Public Participation 

Comments Invited 

TTB invites comments from interested 

members of the public on whether it 

should establish the proposed AVA. 

TTB is also interested in receiving 

comments on the sufficiency and 

accuracy of the name, boundary, soils, 

climate, and other required information 

submitted in support of the petition. In 

addition, given the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA’s location within the 

existing Snake River Valley AVA, TTB 

is interested in comments on whether 

the evidence submitted in the petition 

regarding the distinguishing features of 

the proposed AVA sufficiently 

differentiates it from the existing Snake 

River Valley AVA. TTB is also 

interested in comments on whether the 

geographic features of the proposed 

AVA are so distinguishable from the 

surrounding Snake River Valley AVA 

that the proposed Eagle Foothills AVA 

should no longer be part of that AVA. 

Please provide any available specific 

information in support of your 

comments. 

Because of the potential impact of the 

establishment of the proposed Eagle 

Foothills AVA on wine labels that 

include the term ‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ as 

discussed above under Impact on 

Current Wine Labels, TTB is 

particularly interested in comments 

regarding whether there will be a 

conflict between the proposed AVA 

name and currently used brand names. 

If a commenter believes that a conflict 

will arise, the comment should describe 

the nature of that conflict, including any 

anticipated negative economic impact 

that approval of the proposed AVA will 

have on an existing viticultural 

enterprise. TTB is also interested in 

receiving suggestions for ways to avoid 

conflicts, for example, by adopting a 

modified or different name for the AVA. 

Submitting Comments 

You may submit comments on this 

notice by using one of the following 

three methods: 

• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: You 

may send comments via the online 

comment form posted with this notice 

within Docket No. TTB–2015–0006 on 

‘‘Regulations.gov,’’ the Federal erulemaking portal, at http://

www.regulations.gov. A direct link to 

that docket is available under Notice 

No. 150 on the TTB Web site at 

http://www.ttb.gov/wine/winerulemaking.shtml. Supplemental files 

may be attached to comments submitted 

via Regulations.gov. For complete 

instructions on how to use 

Regulations.gov, visit the site and click 

on the ‘‘Help’’ tab. 

• U.S. Mail: You may send comments 

via postal mail to the Director, 

Regulations and Rulings Division, 

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade 

Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Box 12, 

Washington, DC 20005. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: You may 

hand-carry your comments or have them 

hand-carried to the Alcohol and 

Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G 

Street NW., Suite 200–E, Washington, 

DC 20005. 

Please submit your comments by the 

closing date shown above in this notice. 

Your comments must reference Notice 

No. 150 and include your name and 

mailing address. Your comments also 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 19913 

must be made in English, be legible, and 

be written in language acceptable for 

public disclosure. TTB does not 

acknowledge receipt of comments, and 

TTB considers all comments as 

originals. 

In your comment, please clearly state 

if you are commenting for yourself or on 

behalf of an association, business, or 

other entity. If you are commenting on 

behalf of an entity, your comment must 

include the entity’s name, as well as 

your name and position title. If you 

comment via Regulations.gov, please 

enter the entity’s name in the 

‘‘Organization’’ blank of the online 

comment form. If you comment via 

postal mail or hand delivery/courier, 

please submit your entity’s comment on 

letterhead. 

You may also write to the 

Administrator before the comment 

closing date to ask for a public hearing. 

The Administrator reserves the right to 

determine whether to hold a public 

hearing. 

Confidentiality 

All submitted comments and 

attachments are part of the public record 

and subject to disclosure. Do not 

enclose any material in your comments 

that you consider to be confidential or 

inappropriate for public disclosure. 

Public Disclosure 

TTB will post, and you may view, 

copies of this notice, selected 

supporting materials, and any online or 

mailed comments received about this 

proposal within Docket No. TTB–2015– 

0006 on the Federal e-rulemaking 

portal, Regulations.gov, at http://

www.regulations.gov. A direct link to 

that docket is available on the TTB Web 

site at http://www.ttb.gov/wine/wine_

rulemaking.shtml under Notice No. 150. 

You may also reach the relevant docket 

through the Regulations.gov search page 

at http://www.regulations.gov. For 

information on how to use 

Regulations.gov, click on the site’s 

‘‘Help’’ tab. 

All posted comments will display the 

commenter’s name, organization (if 

any), city, and State, and, in the case of 

mailed comments, all address 

information, including email addresses. 

TTB may omit voluminous attachments 

or material that the Bureau considers 

unsuitable for posting. 

You may also view copies of this 

notice, all related petitions, maps and 

other supporting materials, and any 

electronic or mailed comments that TTB 

receives about this proposal by 

appointment at the TTB Information 

Resource Center, 1310 G Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20005. You may also 

obtain copies at 20 cents per 8.5- x 11- 

inch page. Please note that TTB is 

unable to provide copies of USGS maps 

or other similarly-sized documents that 

may be included as part of the AVA 

petition. Contact TTB’s information 

specialist at the above address or by 

telephone at 202–453–2270 to schedule 

an appointment or to request copies of 

comments or other materials. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

TTB certifies that this proposed 

regulation, if adopted, would not have 

a significant economic impact on a 

substantial number of small entities. 

The proposed regulation imposes no 

new reporting, recordkeeping, or other 

administrative requirement. Any benefit 

derived from the use of a viticultural 

area name would be the result of a 

proprietor’s efforts and consumer 

acceptance of wines from that area. 

Therefore, no regulatory flexibility 

analysis is required. 

Executive Order 12866 

It has been determined that this 

proposed rule is not a significant 

regulatory action as defined by 

Executive Order 12866 of September 30, 

1993. Therefore, no regulatory 

assessment is required. 

Drafting Information 

Karen A. Thornton of the Regulations 

and Rulings Division drafted this notice 

of proposed rulemaking. 

List of Subjects in 27 CFR Part 9 

Wine. 

Proposed Regulatory Amendment 

For the reasons discussed in the 

preamble, TTB proposes to amend title 

27, chapter I, part 9, Code of Federal 

Regulations, as follows: 

PART 9—AMERICAN VITICULTURAL 

AREAS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 9 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 27 U.S.C. 205. 

Subpart C—Approved American 

Viticultural Areas 

■ 2. Subpart C is amended by adding 

§ 9.___ to read as follows: 

§ 9. Eagle Foothills. 

(a) Name. The name of the viticultural 

area described in this section is ‘‘Eagle 

Foothills’’. For purposes of part 4 of this 

chapter, ‘‘Eagle Foothills’’ is a term of 

viticultural significance. 

(b) Approved maps. The 6 United 

States Geological Survey (USGS) 

1:24,000 scale topographic maps used to 

determine the boundary of the Eagle 

Foothills viticultural area are titled: 

(1) Southwest Emmett, Idaho, 1970; 

(2) Southeast Emmett, Idaho, 

provisional edition 1985; 

(3) Pearl, Idaho, provisional edition 

1985; 

(4) Eagle, Idaho, 1998; 

(5) Star, Idaho, 1953; and 

(6) Middleton, Idaho, 1958; 

photorevised 1971. 

(c) Boundary. The Eagle Foothills 

viticultural area is located in Gem and 

Ada Counties in Idaho. The boundary of 

the Eagle Foothills viticultural area is as 

described below: 

(1) The beginning point is on the 

Southwest Emmett map at the 

intersection of the Ada, Gem, and 

Canyon County lines at the 

southwestern corner of section 31, T6N/ 

R1W. 

(2) From the beginning point, proceed 

north along the western boundary of 

sections 31 and 30 to the northwest 

corner of section 31, T6N/R1W; then 

(3) Proceed north-northeast in a 

straight line to the marked 3,109-foot 

elevation point near the southwest 

corner of section 31, T6N/R1W; then 

(4) Proceed northeast in a straight 

line, crossing onto the Southeast 

Emmett map, to the marked 3,230-foot 

elevation point in section 22, T6N/R1W; 

then 

(5) Proceed east-northeast in a straight 

line to the marked 3,258-foot elevation 

point in section 23, T6N/R1W; then 

(6) Proceed easterly in a straight line 

to the 3,493-foot elevation point in 

section 23, T6N/R1W; then 

(7) Proceed northeast in a straight line 

to the 3,481-foot elevation point in 

section 13, T6N/R1W; then 

(8) Proceed northeast in a straight line 

to the intersection of the marked 4- 

wheel drive trail with the R1W range 

line; then 

(9) Proceed north along the R1W 

range line to its first intersection with 

the 3,400-foor elevation contour; then 

(10) Proceed east along the 

meandering 3,400-foot elevation 

contour, crossing onto the Pearl map, 

then continuing easterly, then southerly, 

along the meandering 3,400-foot 

elevation contour, crossing Schiller 

Creek, the North and South Forks of 

Willow Creek, and Big Gulch Creek, to 

the first intersection of the 3,400-foot 

contour line with the R1E/R2E range 

line, with forms the eastern boundary of 

section 13, T5N/R1E; then 

(11) Proceed southeast in a straight 

line to the marked 3,613-foot elevation 

in point Section 18, T5N/R2E; then 

(12) Proceed southwest in a straight 

line to the marked 3,426-foot elevation 

point in Section 24, T5N/R1E; then 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
19914 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 71 / Tuesday, April 14, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

(13) Proceed west in a straight line to 

the marked 3,416-foot elevation point in 

Section 24, T5N/R1E; then 

(14) Proceed west in a straight line to 

the marked 3,119-foot elevation point in 

Section 23, T5N/R1E; then 

(15) Proceed south in a straight line to 

the marked 3,366-foot elevation point in 

Section 23, T5N/R1E; then 

(16) Proceed southwest in a straight 

line, crossing onto the Eagle map, to the 

marked 3,372-foot elevation point in 

Section 26, T5N/R1E; then 

(17) Proceed northwest in a straight 

line, crossing back onto the Pearl map, 

to the marked 3,228-foot elevation point 

in Section 22, T5N/R1E; then 

(18) Proceed southwest in a straight 

line to the marked 3,205-foot elevation 

point in Section 22, T5N/R1E; then 

(19) Proceed south in a straight line, 

crossing onto the Eagle map, to the 

marked 3,163-foot elevation point in 

Section 27, T5N/R1E; then 

(20) Proceed southwest in a straight 

line to the marked 2,958-foot elevation 

point in Section 28, T5N/R1E; then 

(21) Proceed southwest in a straight 

line to the northeast corner of section 

32, T5N/R1E; then 

(22) Proceed south along the eastern 

boundary of Section 32 to the point 

where the boundary joins Pearl Road, 

then continue south along Pearl Road to 

the intersection of the road with Beacon 

Road; then 

(23) Proceed west along Beacon Road, 

crossing onto the Star map, to the 

intersection of Beacon Road with an 

unnamed light-duty road known locally 

as North Wing Road at the southern 

boundary of section 32, T5N/R1W; then 

(24) Proceed south along North Wing 

Road to the intersection of the road with 

New Hope Road in Section 5, T4N/R1W; 

then 

(25) Proceed west along New Hope 

Road, crossing onto the Middleton map, 

to the intersection of the road with the 

Ada-Canyon County line; then 

(26) Proceed north along the AdaCanyon County line, crossing onto the 

Southwest Emmett map, to the 

beginning point. 

Signed: April 7, 2015. 

John J. Manfreda, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08496 Filed 4–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–31–P 

POSTAL SERVICE 

39 CFR Part 111 

Standards Governing the Design of 

Curbside Mailboxes 

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed revision of 

standards; invitation to comment. 

SUMMARY: The Postal Service proposes 

to replace USPS STD 7B, which governs 

the design of curbside mailboxes, with 

new USPS STD 7C. The proposed new 

STD 7C was developed internally to 

meet the operational requirements of the 

Postal Service. 

DATES: The Postal Service must receive 

written comments on or before June 15, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding this 

proposal are invited. Written comments 

should be mailed to U.S. Postal Service, 

Delivery Operations ATTN: Ashlea 

Meyer, 475 L’Enfant Plaza, Room 7142, 

Washington, DC 20260–7142. Copies of 

all written comments will be available 

for public inspection and copying 

between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, at the address 

above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ashlea Meyer, (202) 268–7256. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

U.S. Postal Service Standard, 

Mailboxes, City and Rural Curbside, 

USPS STD 7B, governs the design of 

curbside mailboxes. Pursuant to the 

Mailing Standards of the United States 

Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 

(DMM®) 508.3.2.1, USPS STD 7B 

applies to mailboxes manufactured to be 

erected at the edge of a roadway or 

curbside of a street and to be served by 

a carrier from a vehicle on any city 

route, rural route, or highway contract 

route. Copies of current STD 7B, or 

other information about the 

manufacture of curbside boxes may be 

obtained from USPS Engineering, 8403 

Lee Highway, Merrifield, VA 22082– 

8101 (see DMM 608.8.0). The current 

standard, effective February 8, 2001, (66 

FR 9509–9522) prescribes designs that 

in several respects are no longer ideal 

for the operational requirements of the 

Postal Service. 

As discussed in more detail below, 

the Postal Service is proposing that the 

design and performance requirements 

for new versions of both locking and 

non-locking curbside mailboxes be 

included in the proposed USPS STD 7C. 

These new design options would be able 

to accommodate the insertion and 

removal of a new minimum-sized mail 

item 7 inches high by 13 inches wide by 

16 inches deep. We believe that 

instituting these mailbox design options 

would allow for improvement in the 

Postal Service’s capacity for this mode 

of delivery as vendors choose to 

produce these curbside mailboxes, and 

should the mailboxes come into 

widespread use. 

The addition of these new design 

options does not impact the continued 

approval status of any current USPS 

STD 7B mailbox. 

Specific New Design Options Proposed 

in New USPS STD 7C 

Options incorporated in the proposed 

new standard USPS STD 7C include the 

following: 

1. Introduces for a new version of 

locked and non-locked mailbox designs 

the requirement to accommodate the 

insertion and removal of a test gauge 

measuring 7 inches high by 13 inches 

wide by 16 inches deep. This test gauge 

is the most significant proposed change 

for the new mailbox designs. The 

proposed minimum size requirement 

will allow for a much higher delivery 

rate in the current mail stream. 

2. Adds new Figures 1B and 3 for the 

new enhanced capacity non-locked and 

locked mailbox design options. These 

figures provide overall design 

parameters for the two new mailbox 

design options and the figures are not 

mandatory design templates. 

3. Introduces, for the new locked 

mailbox designs only, the requirement 

to pass a 3-minute physical security test 

of the customer access door (using a 

specified set of pry tools) and a 3- 

minute manual test to ensure that no 

mail item can be removed through the 

front carrier access door. The Postal 

Service sees value in establishing a 

USPS-performed test requirement for 

this new locked curbside mailbox 

design option. Any product validated to 

meet this requirement would provide a 

specified level of security that would be 

adequate to thwart quick-strike attacks. 

4. Reaffirms the prohibition of any 

style of locks, locking devices, or inserts 

that require the carrier to use a key or 

restrict or reduce the interior opening of 

the mailbox, once the front door has 

been fully opened for any approved 

non-locked curbside mailbox. ‘‘No mail 

service’’ will continue to be the Postal 

Service’s policy for any approved nonlocked curbside mailbox that has been 

internally modified with any of these 

unapproved add-on products. To assure 

the effectiveness of the new minimum 

parcel capacity requirement under 

USPS STD 7C, internal obstructions that 

prevent this requirement from being met 

will result in a suspension of service 

when the situation is identified. 

5. Introduces minimal door catch and 

signal flag force tests to ensure those 

components meet prescribed limits. 

6. Updates the provisions in Sections 

6, Application Requirements and 7, 

Approval or Disapproval. The 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS