27 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter A - ALCOHOL

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the approximately 44,690-acre “Squaw Valley-Miramonte” viticultural area in Fresno County, California. The proposed viticultural area does not overlap any established 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.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is expanding the approximately 33-square mile “Fair Play” viticultural area in El Dorado County, California, by 1,200 acres (approximately 2 square miles). The established viticultural area and the expansion area are both located entirely within the larger El Dorado and Sierra Foothills viticultural areas. 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.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is adopting as a permanent regulatory change a flat $1,000 penal sum for the brewer's bond for brewers whose excise tax liability is reasonably expected to be not more than $50,000 in a given calendar year and who were liable for not more than $50,000 in such taxes in the preceding calendar year. TTB originally set forth this change in a temporary rule issued on December 7, 2012. In addition, TTB is adopting as a final rule its proposal, also issued on December 7, 2012, to require small brewers to file Federal excise tax returns, pay tax, and submit reports of operations quarterly. TTB expects these amendments to reduce the regulatory burdens on such brewers, reduce their administrative costs, and create administrative efficiencies for TTB.

The Department of Justice proposes amending Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulations that concern firearms stolen or lost in transit. The proposed rule specifies that when a Federal firearms licensee (FFL) discovers a firearm it shipped was stolen or lost in transit, that sender/transferor FFL must report the theft or loss to ATF and to the appropriate local authority. The rule also reduces an FFL's reporting burden when a theft or loss involves a firearm registered under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and ensures consistent reporting to ATF's NFA Branch. In addition, the rule specifies that transferor/sender FFLs must reflect the theft or loss of a firearm as a disposition entry in their required records not later than 7 days following discovery of the theft or loss, and specifies that FFLs that report the theft or loss of a firearm and later discover its whereabouts must advise ATF that the firearm has been located and must re-enter the firearm into their required records as an acquisition or disposition entry as appropriate.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to expand the approximately 33,380-acre “Sta. Rita Hills” viticultural area in Santa Barbara County, California, by approximately 2,296 acres. The established Sta. Rita Hills viticultural area and the proposed expansion area are located entirely within the larger Santa Ynez Valley and Central Coast viticultural areas. 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.

The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) by eliminating the Firearms Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473 (Low Volume (LV)), Parts I and II. Federally licensed firearms dealers used this form as an alternate record for the receipt and disposition of firearms. Because licensees rarely use Form 4473 (LV), ATF has determined that continued use of this form is unwarranted and it should be eliminated. Licensees will be required to use the standard Form 4473 for all dispositions and maintain a record of the acquisition and disposition of firearms in accordance with the regulations.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) establishes the 11,178-acre “Manton Valley” viticultural area in Shasta and Tehama Counties in northern California. The viticultural area does not lie within or contain any other established 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.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to establish the approximately 38,000-acre “Fountaingrove District” viticultural area in Sonoma County, California. The proposed viticultural area lies entirely within the larger, multicounty North Coast 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.