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AGENCY:

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking; cross-reference to temporary rule.

SUMMARY:

Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is issuing a temporary rule implementing the new certification requirements regarding production practices and procedures for imported natural wine contained in section 2002 of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004, which amended section 5382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. In this notice of proposed rulemaking, we are soliciting comments from all interested parties on the implementation of these new certification requirements. The text of the regulations in the temporary rule published in the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register serves as the text of the proposed regulations.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before October 24, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments to any of the following addresses—

• Chief, Regulations and Procedures Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Attn: Notice No. 51, P.O. Box 14412, Washington, DC 20044-4412.
• 202-927-8525 (facsimile).
• nprm@ttb.gov (e-mail).
• http://www.ttb.gov/​alcohol/​rules/​index.htm. An online comment form is posted with this notice on our Web site.
• http://www.regulations.gov. Federal e-rulemaking portal; follow instructions for submitting comments.

You may view copies of any comments we receive about this notice by appointment at the TTB Library, 1310 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. To make an appointment, call 202-927-2400. You may also access copies of this notice and any comments online at http://www.ttb.gov/​alcohol/​rules/​index.htm.

See the Public Participation section of this document for specific instructions and requirements for submitting comments, and for information on how to request a public hearing.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gail Davis, International Trade Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (202-927-8110).

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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, we publish a temporary rule setting forth regulations to implement section 2002 of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-429, 118 Stat. 2434 (“the Act”), signed by President Bush on December 3, 2004. Section 2002 of the Act revised section 5382(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC), 26 U.S.C. 5382(a), which sets forth standards regarding what constitutes proper cellar treatment of natural wine. The revision of section 5382(a) took effect on January 1, 2005, and includes new certification requirements for imported natural wine produced after December 31, 2004. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is responsible for the administration of the IRC provisions relating to wine.

The temporary regulations published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register involve amendments to parts 4, 24, and 27 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR parts 4, 24, and 27). The text of the temporary regulations serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The preamble to the temporary regulations explains the proposed regulations.

Public Participation

Comments Sought

We request comments from everyone interested. We are particularly interested in comments on the effect these regulatory requirements might have on U.S. importers who do not obtain their wine directly from foreign producers, and we would welcome any suggestions for alternative approaches that would be consistent with the restrictions on disclosing taxpayer and return information in 26 U.S.C. 6103. We are particularly interested in comments on the effect these regulatory requirements might have on U.S. importers who do not obtain their wine directly from foreign producers. All comments must reference Notice No. 51 and must include your name and mailing address. They must be legible and written in language acceptable for public disclosure. Although we do not acknowledge receipt, we will consider your comments if we receive them on or before the closing date. We regard all comments as originals.

Confidentiality

All comments are part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your comments that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

Submitting Comments

You may submit comments in any of five ways:

• Mail: You may send written comments to TTB at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
• Facsimile: You may submit comments by facsimile transmission to 202-927-8525. Faxed comments must—

(1) Be on 8.5- by 11-inch paper;

(2) Contain a legible, written signature; and

(3) Be no more than five pages long. This limitation ensures electronic access to our equipment. We will not accept faxed comments that exceed five pages.

• E-mail: You may e-mail comments to nprm@ttb.gov. Comments transmitted by electronic mail must—

(1) Contain your e-mail address;

(2) Reference Notice No. 51 on the subject line; and

(3) Be legible when printed on 8.5- by 11-inch paper.

• Online form: We provide a comment form with the online copy of this document on our Web site at http://www.ttb.gov/​alcohol/​rules/​index.htm. Select the “Send comments via email” link under Notice No. 51.
• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: To submit comments to us via the Federal e-rulemaking portal, visit http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for submitting comments.

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, in light of all circumstances, whether to hold a public hearing. Start Printed Page 49517

Public Disclosure

You may view copies of the temporary rule, this document, and any comments we receive by appointment at the TTB Library at 1310 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20220. You may also obtain copies at 20 cents per 8.5- x 11-inch page. Contact our librarian at the above address or telephone 202-927-2400 to schedule an appointment or to request copies of comments.

For your convenience, we will post the temporary rule, this document, and any comments we receive on the TTB Web site. We may omit voluminous attachments or material that we consider unsuitable for posting. In all cases, the full comment will be available in the TTB Library. To access the online copy of this document and the submitted comments, visit http://www.ttb.gov/​alcohol/​rules/​index.htm. Select the “View Comments” link under this document's number and title to view the posted comments.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The collections of information contained in the temporary rule were submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507). Pending the review of public comments, OMB has approved the information collections under control number 1513-0119. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid control number.

The collections of information in this regulation are in § 4.45 and § 27.140. The first information collection involves consumer information under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. The second information collection is required by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in connection with the importation of wine from foreign countries. Failure to provide the required information may result in administrative sanctions against the importer. The likely respondents are individuals and business or other for-profit institutions, including partnership, associations, and corporations.

• Estimated total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden: 6,600 hours.
• Estimated average annual burden per respondent/recordkeeper: 1.65 hours.
• Estimated number of respondents and/or recordkeeping: 4,000.
• Estimated annual number of responses: 20,000.

Comments on the collection of information may be sent by e-mail to OMB at Alexander_T._Hunt@omb.eop.gov, or by paper mail to Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Washington, DC 20503. A copy should also be sent to TTB by any of the methods previously described. Comments should be submitted within the time frame that comments are due regarding the substance of the regulation.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the information collection burden; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimate of capital or start up costs and costs of operations, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Pursuant to the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6), we certify that this notice of proposed rulemaking will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The only new regulatory requirements involve reporting and recordkeeping and, as described above, the burdens associated with theses requirements are expected to be minimal. Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, we will submit this notice of proposed rulemaking to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact on small businesses.

Executive Order 12866

We have determined that this notice of proposed rulemaking is not a significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required.

Drafting Information

The principal author of this document was Jennifer K. Berry, Regulations and Procedures Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. However, other personnel participated in its development.

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List of Subjects

27 CFR Part 4

• Advertising
• Customs duties and inspection
• Imports
• Labeling
• Packaging and containers
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Trade practices
• Wine

27 CFR Part 24

• Administrative practice and procedure
• Claims
• Electronic fund transfers
• Excise taxes
• Exports
• Food additives
• Fruit juices
• Labeling
• Liquors
• Packaging and containers
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Research
• Scientific equipment
• Spices and flavoring
• Surety bonds
• Vinegar
• Warehouses
• Wine

27 CFR Part 27

• Alcohol and alcoholic beverages
• Beer
• Customs duties and inspection
• Electronic funds transfers
• Excise taxes
• Imports
• Labeling
• Liquors
• Packaging and containers
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Wine

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Proposed Amendments to the Regulations

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, TTB proposes to amend 27 CFR parts 4, 24, and 27 as follows:

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PART 4—LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF WINE

1. The authority citation for part 4 continues to reads as follows:

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Authority: 27 U.S.C. 205, unless otherwise noted.

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2. Section 4.45 is amended by revising the section heading, designating the existing text as paragraph (a), adding a heading to newly designated paragraph (a), and adding a new paragraph (b) to read as follows:

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PART 24—WINE

3. The authority citation for part 24 continues to read as follows:

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Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 26 U.S.C. 5001, 5008, 5041, 5042, 5044, 5061, 5062, 5081, 5111-5113, 5121, 5122, 5142, 5143, 5173, 5206, 5214, 5215, 5351, 5353, 5354, 5356, 5357, 5361, 5362, 5364-5373, 5381-5388, 5391, 5392, 5511, 5551, 5552, 5661, 5662, 5684, 6065, 6091, 6109, 6301, 6302, 6311, 6651, 6676, 7011, 7302, 7342, 7502, 7503, 7606, 7805, 7851; 31 U.S.C. 9301, 9303, 9304, 9306.

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4. Section 24.301 is amended by removing the word “and” at the end of paragraph (i), removing the period at the end of paragraph (j) and adding, in its place, a semicolon followed by the word “and”, and adding a new paragraph (k) to read as follows:

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PART 27—IMPORTATION OF DISTILLED SPIRITS, WINES, AND BEER

6. The authority citation for part 27 is revised to read as follows:

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Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a), 19 U.S.C. 81c, 1202; 26 U.S.C. 5001, 5007, 5008, 5010, 5041, 5051, 5054, 5061, 5111, 5112, 5114, 5121, 5122, 5124, 5201, 5205, 5207, 5232, 5273, 5301, 5313, 5382, 5555, 6302, 7805.

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7. Subpart I, Importer's Records and Reports, is amended by adding a new § 27.140 to read as follows:

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