Voglio sapere a riguardo di…

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 115 / Thursday, June 17, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1

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 AVA;
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;
The appropriate United States Geological Survey USGS maps 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.
White Bluffs Petition TTB received a petition from Kevin Pogue, on behalf of local winemakers and vineyard owners, proposing to establish the White Bluffs AVA. The proposed AVA is located in Franklin County, Washington, and lies entirely within the established Columbia Valley AVA 27 CFR 9.74. Within the 93,738acre proposed AVA, there are 9
commercial vineyards covering a total of approximately 1,127 acres, along with 1
winery. The distinguishing features of the proposed White Bluffs AVA are its topography, geology, soils, and climate.
The proposed White Bluffs AVA is located on a broad plateau that rises, on average, 200 feet above the surrounding landscape. The Ringold and Koontz Coulees divide the plateau into two distinct areas capped by flat regions with relatively even surfaces and southfacing slope aspects. Elevations within the proposed AVA range from 700 feet in the coulees to approximately 1,200
feet in the northeastern section of the proposed AVA. The majority of the proposed AVA has elevations between 800 and 1,000 feet. By contrast, the regions surrounding the proposed AVA
are on the floor of the Columbia Valley and have lower elevations. According to the petition, the relatively flat terrain of the proposed AVA provides gently sloping vineyard sites. Southern aspects allow vines to absorb more solar energy per unit area than regions without a southern aspect. Greater solar energy absorption promotes an earlier onset of bud break, flowering, veraison, and
VerDate Sep<11>2014

17:19 Jun 16, 2021

Jkt 253001

harvest. The petition also states that vineyards planted on the plateau have a longer growing season than vineyards on the valley floor, where cold air pools and increases the risk of frost.
Beneath the proposed White Bluffs AVA is a thick layer of sedimentary rocks called the Ringold Formation, which was formed in lakes and rivers between 8.5 and 3.4 million years ago.
The Ringold Formation overlies Columbia River basalt bedrock. The upper part of the Ringold Formation contains an erosion-resistant layer commonly referred to as caliche. This layer reaches depths of at least 15 feet and limits root penetration and the water-holding capabilities of the soil. As a result, areas with thick layers of caliche must undergo ripping with bulldozers to break up the caliche before planting vineyards. By contrast, the Ringold Formation and the caliche layer are much thinner or entirely absent in the regions surrounding the proposed AVA, allowing roots to come into contact with the basalt bedrock and a variety of minerals including olivine and plagioclase feldspar.
The soils of the proposed AVA derive from wind-deposited silt and fine sand overlying sediment deposited by ice-age floods. Most of the flood sediment is a mixture of silt and sand that settled out of suspension in glacial Lake Lewis. The thickness of the flood sediment gradually increases with decreasing elevation, since there were multiple iceage floods of varying intensity and the lower elevations were flooded more frequently. As a result, the soil depths on the plateau that comprises the proposed AVA are likely to be thinner than those of the surrounding valley floor. The thinness of the soils in the proposed AVA allows roots to reach the clay-rich Ringold Formation. High clay content allows the soils to release water more slowly than sandier soils, putting less stress on grapevines during dry conditions.
The petition states that the proposed White Bluffs AVA has a longer growing season than the surrounding regions.
According to the petition, the longer growing season means that the proposed AVA is less prone to spring frosts that can damage the vines after bud break, and is also less likely to experience fall frosts that halt the ripening process and delay harvest. The growing season within the proposed AVA averages 237.5 days, while the region to the north averages 200 days. The region to the east averages 169 days, and the region to the south averages 191 days. Climate data was not available for the region to the west of the proposed AVA.

PO 00000

Frm 00003

Fmt 4700

Sfmt 4700

32187

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Comments Received TTB published Notice No. 189 in the Federal Register on May 27, 2020 85
FR 31723, proposing to establish the White Bluffs AVA. In the notice, TTB
summarized the evidence from the petition regarding the name, boundary, and distinguishing features for the proposed AVA. The notice also compared the distinguishing features of the proposed AVA to the surrounding areas. For a detailed description of the evidence relating to the name, boundary, and distinguishing features of the proposed AVA, and for a detailed comparison of the distinguishing features of the proposed AVA to the surrounding areas, see Notice No. 189.
In Notice No. 189, TTB solicited comments on the accuracy of the name, boundary, and other required information submitted in support of the petition. In addition, given the proposed White Bluff AVAs location within the Columbia Valley AVA, TTB solicited comments on whether the evidence submitted in the petition regarding the distinguishing features of the proposed AVA sufficiently differentiates it from the established AVA. TTB also requested comments on whether the geographic features of the proposed AVA are so distinguishable from the established Columbia Valley AVA that the proposed AVA should no longer be part of the established AVA. The comment period closed on July 27, 2020.
In response to Notice No. 189, TTB
received a total of two comments. Both comments were from local wine industry members who supported the proposed AVA. The first comment reiterated the petitions claims of unique soil, geology, topography, and climate, which the commenter states makes the proposed AVA a special area in Washington. The second comment supported the proposed AVA due to its distinctive micro-climate, soil, and ultimately unique grape growing character. Neither comment addressed the question of whether the proposed White Bluffs AVA was so distinct that it should be removed from the established Columbia Valley AVA.
TTB Determination After careful review of the petition and the comments received in response to Notice No. 189, TTB finds that the evidence provided by the petitioner supports the establishment of the White Bluffs AVA. Accordingly, under the authority of the FAA Act, section 1111d of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, and parts 4 and 9 of the TTB

E:FRFM17JNR1.SGM

17JNR1