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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 234 (Thursday, December 5, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 96623-96627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28438]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

27 CFR Part 9

[Docket No. TTB-2024-0007; Notice No. 235]
RIN 1513-AD08

Proposed Establishment of the Columbia Hills Viticultural Area

AGENCY: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to 
establish the 29,387-acre ``Columbia Hills'' American viticultural area 
(AVA) in Klickitat County, Washington. The proposed AVA is located 
entirely within the boundaries of the existing Columbia Valley AVA. 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 these proposals.

DATES: TTB must receive your comments on or before February 3, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may electronically submit comments to TTB on this 
proposal, and view copies of this document, its supporting materials, 
and any comments TTB receives on it within Docket No. TTB-2024-0007 as 
posted on Regulations.gov (https://www.regulations.gov), the Federal e-
rulemaking portal. Alternatively, you may submit comments via postal 
mail to the Director, Regulations and Ruling Division, Alcohol and 
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW, Box 12, Washington, DC 
20005. Please see the ``Public Participation'' section of this document 
for further information on the comments requested on this proposal and 
on the submission, confidentiality, and public disclosure of comments.

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; 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 
provisions pursuant to section 1111(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 
2002, as codified at 6 U.S.C. 531(d). In addition, the Secretary of the 
Treasury has delegated certain administrative and enforcement 
authorities to TTB through Treasury Order 120-01.
    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, once approved, a name and a delineated boundary 
codified 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 allows any interested 
party to petition TTB to establish a grape-growing region as an AVA. 
Section 9.12 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 9.12) prescribes standards 
for petitions to establish or modify 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 that affect 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 AVA boundary;
     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.
    If the proposed AVA is to be established within, or overlapping, an 
existing AVA, an explanation that both identifies the attributes of the 
proposed AVA that are consistent with the existing AVA and explains how 
the proposed AVA is sufficiently distinct from the existing AVA, and 
therefore appropriate for separate recognition.

Petition To Establish the Columbia Hills AVA

    TTB received a petition from Dr. Kevin R. Pogue, a geology 
professor, proposing to establish the ``Columbia Hills'' AVA. Dr. Pogue 
submitted the petition on behalf of Robert Lorkowski, owner of Cascade 
Cliffs Vineyard and Winery, which is located within the boundaries of 
the proposed AVA. The proposed AVA is located in Klickitat County, 
Washington, and is entirely within the established Columbia Valley AVA 
(27 CFR 9.74). There are approximately 338 acres of vineyards, owned by 
19 different property owners, within the proposed AVA, as well as four 
wineries. The distinguishing features of the proposed Columbia Hills 
AVA are its topography, soils, and climate.

Proposed Columbia Hills AVA

Name Evidence

    The proposed AVA takes its name from the Columbia Hills, a 35-mile-
long ridgeline that parallels the north side of

[[Page 96624]]

the Columbia River between Rowena Gap and the mouth of Rock Creek, in 
Klickitat County, Washington. The proposed AVA is situated on the 
southern slopes of the Columbia Hills. The name ``Columbia Hills'' is 
marked over the ridgeline on a copy of the U.S.G.S. 1:250,000-scale 
topographic map for the region of the proposed AVA, which was included 
in the petition.
    The petition includes additional evidence of use of the name 
``Columbia Hills'' within the region of the proposed AVA. For example, 
the Columbia Hills Historical State Park and the Columbia Hills Natural 
Area Preserve are both located in the proposed AVA. A 2011 item on a 
local newspaper's website is titled ``Mt. Hood Cycling Classic Columbia 
Hills Road Race.'' \1\ Finally, a recreational vehicle campground in 
Dallesport, Washington, which is within the proposed AVA, is named 
``Columbia Hills RV.''
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    \1\ https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/archive/video-mt-hood-cycling-classic-columbia-hills-road-race/article_6a1c4211-11cc-5868-9202-18e06888c2a3.html. Accessed October 28, 2024.
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Boundary Evidence

    The proposed Columbia Hills AVA encompasses 29,387 acres along the 
predominantly south-facing slopes of the Columbia Hills. The proposed 
southern boundary follows the Columbia River, which marks the southern 
edge of the hills. The proposed western boundary follows the 300-meter 
elevation contour along a feature known as Rowena Gap, which marks a 
pronounced change in topography between the proposed AVA and the region 
to the west. The proposed northern boundary generally follows the 320-
meter elevation contour to separate the proposed AVA from higher 
elevations that were not inundated by ice age floods. The proposed 
eastern boundary follows Rock Creek to separate the proposed AVA from 
the established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA (27 CFR 9.276), which 
is a broad, relatively flat plateau that is a separate geographic 
feature from the Columbia Hills that form the proposed AVA.

Distinguishing Features

    According to the petition, the distinguishing features of the 
proposed Columbia Hills AVA are its topography, soils, and climate.
Topography
    According to the petition, features created by depositional and 
erosional processes associated with catastrophic ice age flooding 
dominate the topography of the proposed Columbia Hills AVA. Erosion by 
the floodwaters of the generally flat-lying layers of bedrock created a 
series of stepped terraces within the proposed AVA. The petition states 
that these gently-sloped terraces provide excellent locations for 
vineyards within the otherwise steeply-sloped valley of the Columbia 
River. Large, gently-sloped gravel bars deposited by ice-age floods 
also provide level terrain for planting vineyards within the proposed 
AVA. According to the petition, the ice-age flooding along the Columbia 
River generally did not exceed 320 meters. Therefore, elevations within 
the proposed Columbia Hills AVA are limited to those at or below 320 
meters to exclude regions without the flood-related topographic 
features.
    To the north of the proposed AVA, the topography is much steeper 
and less impacted by ice-age flooding. Elevations within the higher 
elevations of the Columbia Hills that are not included in the proposed 
AVA reach 800 meters, as shown on the 1980 version of the Goldendale, 
Washington-Oregon U.S.G.S. map included with the petition. The same map 
also shows that within the Simcoe Mountains, farther north of the 
proposed AVA, elevations exceed 1,400 meters. East of the proposed AVA, 
within the established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA, elevations 
reach as high as 445 meters. The petition states that ice-age flooding 
never inundated approximately 33 percent of the land within the 
established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA. West of the proposed AVA 
is the established Columbia Gorge AVA (27 CFR 9.178), which has a 
diverse topography and elevations that reach 793 meters. According to 
the petition, ice-age floods only covered 26 percent of the land within 
the established Columbia Gorge AVA.
    Slopes within the proposed Columbia Hills AVA have a uniformly 
southerly aspect. The petition states that a southerly aspect is the 
preferred direction for viticulture in the higher latitudes in the 
northern hemisphere because the slopes receive the greatest exposure to 
the sun's rays. As a result, south-facing slopes have higher soil 
temperatures than slopes that face north. According to the petition, 
warmer soils encourage vine growth and speed ripening of the fruit. By 
contrast, the established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA, which is 
east of the proposed AVA, consists of relatively flat topography with 
varying aspects. The petition states that west of the proposed AVA, 
within the established Columbia Gorge AVA, the aspect distribution is 
also varied and essentially random. The region to the north has a 
dominantly southern aspect similar to that of the proposed Columbia 
Hills AVA, but it is above the maximum elevation of the ice-age floods. 
Low-lying areas south of the proposed AVA, in Oregon, have a dominantly 
northern aspect.
Soils
    The soils of the proposed Columbia Hills AVA are divided into two 
main soil map units. Most of the area within the proposed AVA features 
soils mapped as the Cheviot-Horseflat-Rockly-Kiona unit, which are 
described as ``well-drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum 
derived from basalt mixed with loess.'' In the western portion of the 
proposed AVA, the soils belong to the Ewall-Dallesport-Rock Outcrop 
unit. These soils consist of wind-deposited sand that was draped over 
the bedrock and gravel bars that were left behind when the ice-age 
floods ceased. The soils of the proposed AVA are typically much coarser 
than the loess-based soils that are common elsewhere in the Columbia 
River basin and are well drained to excessively well drained. The 
petition states that the coarse soils warm more quickly than finer 
soils, which encourages vines to root deeply. Furthermore, the petition 
states that in many areas of the proposed AVA, the soils are shallow, 
which allows roots to encounter the underlying basalt bedrock or gravel 
substrate, which is uncommon in the deep loess-derived soils found 
elsewhere in the Columbia River basin, and which become exposed to the 
minerals and nutritive elements in those rocks.
    To the east of the proposed Columbia Hills AVA, soils of the Van 
Nostern-Morrow-Bakeoven soil unit cover approximately 50 percent of the 
area within the established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA. These 
soils occur largely above the maximum limit of the ice-age floods and 
were not subjected to flood erosion. These soils contain large amounts 
of wind-deposited loess. West of the proposed AVA, the soils of the 
established Columbia Gorge AVA are highly diverse due to the large 
variations in bedrock, slope angle, slope aspect, precipitation 
amounts, and elevation. North and south of the proposed AVA, the soils 
are generally deep and derived from loess over bedrock.
Climate
    Eighty percent of the land within the proposed Columbia Hills AVA 
is within a mile of the Columbia River. According to the petition, the 
river acts as a thermal reservoir, moderating the

[[Page 96625]]

climate near its shores. Due to its proximity to the river, the 
proposed AVA generally has warmer growing season temperatures, 
particularly during the early morning hours, than the surrounding 
regions. The petition states that the warm climate of the proposed AVA 
aids and accelerates the ripening of grapes and allows for the 
cultivation of warmer climate grape varietals such as Grenache and 
Mourvedre.
    The petition includes information on the average growing season 
temperatures,\2\ growing degree day \3\ (GDD) accumulations, annual 
number of frost-free days, and average growing season maximum and 
minimum temperatures from within the proposed Columbia Hills AVA and 
each of the surrounding regions except the region to the east. Unless 
otherwise noted, all climate data was collected from 2017 to 2021. The 
data, included in the petition as tables 2 and 3, is shown in the 
following tables and suggests that the proposed AVA has a warmer 
climate than each of the surrounding regions.
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    \2\ Defined in the petition as the period from April 1 to 
October 31.
    \3\ See Albert J. Winkler et al., General Viticulture (Berkeley: 
University of California Press, 2nd ed.), pages 61-64 (1974). In the 
Winkler climate classification system, annual heat accumulation 
during the growing season, measured in annual GDDs, defines climatic 
regions. One GDD accumulates for each degree Fahrenheit (F) that a 
day's mean temperature is above 50 degrees F, the minimum 
temperature required for grapevine growth.

                       Table 1--Average Growing Season Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit
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          Location (direction from proposed AVA)              2017       2018       2019       2020       2021
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The Dalles (within)......................................       65.9       66.2         64       65.3       67.7
Maryhill (within)........................................       65.1       65.3       63.9       65.2       66.6
Goldendale (north).......................................       58.7       58.3         57       58.5       59.5
Moro (south).............................................        N/A       59.7         58       58.7       59.2
Underwood (west).........................................       61.1       61.4       59.6       60.9         62
Husum (west).............................................       59.7       60.2       58.7       59.9       60.2
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                                    Table 2--Growing Degree Day Accumulations
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          Location (direction from proposed AVA)              2017       2018       2019       2020       2021
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The Dalles (within)......................................      3,431      3,483      3,097      3,348      3,802
Maryhill (within)........................................      3,275      3,309      3,091      3,338      3,588
Goldendale (north).......................................      2,205      2,012      1,834      2,112      2,309
Moro (south).............................................        N/A      2,255      2,006      2,128      2,229
Underwood (west).........................................      2,530      2,537      2,258      2,472      2,647
Husum (west).............................................      2,287      2,284      2,107      2,249      2,345
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                                            Table 3--Frost-Free Days
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          Location (direction from proposed AVA)              2017       2018       2019       2020       2021
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The Dalles (within)......................................        254        239        223        194        220
Maryhill (within)........................................        253        220        208        220        246
Goldendale (north).......................................        142        148        148        164        158
Moro (south).............................................        N/A        173        163        174        168
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                                 Table 4--Average Growing Season Maximum and Minimum Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit
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                                                             2017                2018                2019                2020                2021
       Location (direction from proposed AVA)        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Max      Min.       Max      Min.       Max      Min.       Max      Min.       Max      Min.
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The Dalles (within).................................      78.2      53.5      78.6      53.7      74.9        53      77.5        53      80.2      55.3
Maryhill (within)...................................      76.8      53.9      76.8      54.4      74.5        54      76.5      54.4      78.3      55.3
Goldendale (north)..................................        75        43        75        42        72        43        75        42        77        42
                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moro (south)........................................          N/A               75        44        70        46        73        45        75        46
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    The petition also includes a brief discussion of annual 
precipitation amounts in the proposed Columbia Hills AVA. The petition 
notes that the proposed AVA is approximately 20 miles east of the only 
low elevation gap in the Cascade Mountains where moist marine air can 
enter the Columbia River basin and influence its climate. The marine 
influence rapidly diminishes as one moves eastward from this gap. As a 
result, the proposed Columbia Hills AVA only receives about 10 to 20 
inches of rainfall annually. Due to the low rainfall amounts, vineyards 
in the proposed AVA require irrigation. Farther east, within the 
established The Burn of Columbia Valley AVA, annual precipitation rates 
drop below 10 inches. By contrast, the established Columbia Gorge AVA, 
which is west of the proposed AVA and situated much closer to the gap, 
receives over 30 inches of rainfall annually.

[[Page 96626]]

Comparison of the Proposed Columbia Hills AVA to the Existing Columbia 
Valley AVA

    T.D. ATF-190, published in the Federal Register on November 13, 
1984 (49 FR 44895), established the Columbia Valley AVA. That decision 
describes the AVA as a ``large, treeless basin surrounding the Yakima, 
Snake, and Columbia Rivers in Washington and Oregon.'' The Columbia 
Valley AVA has a broadly undulating or rolling topography cut by 
rivers. With respect to the climate of the AVA, the growing season is 
over 150 days, annual rainfall is 15 inches or less, and GDD 
accumulations are typically over 2,000.
    The proposed Columbia Hills AVA shares several of the same 
characteristics as the larger Columbia Valley AVA, including a growing 
season length of over 150 days, limited annual rainfall, and GDD 
accumulations that are over 2,000. Unlike the surrounding Columbia 
Valley AVA, however, the proposed Columbia Hills AVA is not a large 
basin. It is instead a region of hillslopes and flood-carved terraces 
within a deeply incised river valley.

TTB Determination

    TTB concludes that the petition to establish the 29,387-acre 
``Columbia Hills'' AVA merits consideration and public comment, as 
invited in this document.

Boundary Description

    See the narrative boundary descriptions of the petitioned-for AVA 
in the proposed regulatory text published at the end of this document.

Maps

    The petitioner provided the required maps, and they are listed 
below in the proposed regulatory text. You may also view the proposed 
Columbia Hills AVA boundary on the AVA Map Explorer on the TTB website, 
at https://www.ttb.gov/wine/ava-map-explorer.

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, at least 85 percent of the wine 
must be derived from grapes grown within the area represented by that 
name, 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 
and that name 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 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 that was used as a brand name on a 
label approved before July 7, 1986. See 27 CFR 4.39(i)(2) for details.
    If TTB establishes this proposed AVA, its name, ``Columbia Hills,'' 
will be recognized as a name of viticultural significance under Sec.  
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 ``Columbia Hills'' 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 viticultural area's name 
``Columbia Hills.'' The approval of the proposed Columbia Hills AVA 
would not affect any existing AVA, and any bottlers using ``Columbia 
Valley'' as an appellation of origin or in a brand name for wines made 
from grapes grown within the Columbia Hills AVA would not be affected 
by the establishment of this new AVA. If approved, the establishment of 
the proposed Columbia Hills AVA would allow vintners to use ``Columbia 
Hills,'' ``Columbia Valley,'' or both, as appellations of origin for 
wines made from grapes grown within the proposed 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 TTB should establish the proposed Columbia Hills AVA. TTB is 
interested in receiving comments on the sufficiency and accuracy of the 
name, boundary, and other required information submitted in support of 
the AVA petition. In addition, because the proposed AVA would be within 
the existing Columbia 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 AVA. TTB is also interested in comments on whether 
the geographic features of the proposed AVA are so distinguishable from 
the Columbia Valley AVA that the proposed Columbia Hills AVA should not 
be part of the established AVA. Please provide any available specific 
information in support of your comments.
    Because of the potential impact of the establishment of the 
proposed Columbia Hills AVA on wine labels that include the term 
``Columbia Hills'' 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 area names 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 proposed AVA.

Submitting Comments

    You may submit comments on this proposal as an individual or on 
behalf of a business or other organization via the Regulations.gov 
website or via postal mail, as described in the ADDRESSES section of 
this document. Your comment must reference Notice No. 235 and must be 
submitted or postmarked by the closing date shown in the DATES section 
of this document. You may upload or include attachments with your 
comment. You also may request a public hearing on this proposal. The 
TTB Administrator reserves the right to determine whether to hold a 
public hearing.

Confidentiality and Disclosure of Comments

    All submitted comments and attachments are part of the rulemaking 
record and are subject to public disclosure. Do not enclose any 
material in your comments that you consider confidential or that is 
inappropriate for disclosure. TTB will post, and you may view, copies 
of this document, the related petition and selected supporting 
materials, and any comments TTB receives about this proposal within the 
related Regulations.gov docket. In general, TTB will post comments as 
submitted, and it will not redact any identifying or contact 
information from the body of a comment or attachment. Please contact 
TTB's Regulations and Rulings division by email using the web form 
available at https://www.ttb.gov/contact-rrd, or by telephone at 202-
453-2265, if you have any questions about commenting on this proposal 
or to request copies of this document, the related petition and its 
supporting materials, or any comments received.

[[Page 96627]]

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

    This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action as 
defined by Executive Order 12866, as amended. Therefore, it requires no 
regulatory assessment.

List of Subjects in 27 CFR Part 9

    Wine.

Proposed Regulatory Amendment

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, we propose to amend 
title 27, chapter I, part 9, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 9--AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREAS

0
1. The authority citation for part 9 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 27 U.S.C. 205.

Subpart C--Approved American Viticultural Areas

0
2. Add Sec.  9.___ to read as follows:

Sec.  9.___   Columbia Hills.

    (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this 
section is ``Columbia Hills''. For purposes of part 4 of this chapter, 
``Columbia Hills'' is a term of viticultural significance.
    (b) Approved maps. The two United States Geological Survey (USGS) 
1:100,000 scale topographic maps used to determine the boundary of the 
viticultural area are as follows:
    (1) Hood River OR-WA, 1982; and
    (2) Goldendale, WA-OR, 1980.
    (c) Boundary. The Columbia Hills viticultural area is located in 
Klickitat County, Washington. The boundary of the Columbia Hills 
viticultural area is as described as follows:
    (1) The beginning point is on the Hood River map at the 
intersection of the northern shoreline of the Columbia River and an 
unnamed creek due east of the marked ``Cold Spring.'' From the 
beginning point, proceed northerly along the unnamed creek to its 
intersection with the 300-meter elevation contour; then
    (2) Proceed east along the 300-meter elevation contour to the 
eastern boundary of the Hood River map; then
    (3) Proceed north along the map boundary for approximately 400 
feet; then
    (4) Proceed east onto 320-meter elevation contour on the Goldendale 
map and continue east along the 320-meter elevation contour to its 
intersection with the boundary between Range 18 East and Range 19 East, 
south of Sand Spring Canyon; then
    (5) Proceed southeast in a straight line for 9,000 feet (1.7 miles) 
to the intersection of the boundary between sections 31 and 32, T3N/
R19E and the northern shoreline of the Columbia River; then
    (6) Proceed west along the northern shoreline of the Columbia 
River, returning to the beginning point.

    Signed: November 26, 2024.
Mary G. Ryan,
Administrator.
    Approved: November 27, 2024.
Aviva R. Aron-Dine,
Deputy Assistant Secretary (Tax Policy).
[FR Doc. 2024-28438 Filed 12-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-31-P
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