American Valley Hazardous Fuels Reduction
Summary
SCH Number
2016068319
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
American Valley Hazardous Fuels Reduction
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/22/2016
Document Description
The project includes mechanical and manual thinning and removal of dense, hazardous forest fuels in a rural-residential, forestland setting, also known as a wildland urban interface (WUI) in and throughout Quincy, CA. The project encompasses 48 residential parcels, totaling 146.8 acres of treatment to reduce hazardous forest fire fuels. The predominant vegetation composition on the planned treatment areas is Sierran mixed conifer (SMC), predominantly white fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense-cedar, and California black oak. All 48 units are located 3,500-3,600 ft. elevation, within the jurisdictional confines of Quincy, the county seat of Plumas county, and are located on residentially developed-rural, timbered lots. The American Valley is predominantly surrounded by heavy timber growth in the northern Sierra Nevada range in Northern California. There is a significant wildfire threat to communities located within identified WUI areas. This project, specifically, targets 0.5-13 acres of treatment units throughout 48 parcels, totaling 146.8 acres of hazardous fuels reduction treatment. The methods to accomplish the fuels reduction goals vary from mechanical mastication on 108.4 acres, manual hand thinning, piling, and pile burning on 29.6 acres, and solely hand thinning and chipping onsite on 8.8 acres. The primary target for removal will be small diameter trees up to ten inches DBH, surface 10-100 hour fuels, and brush that can behave as a ladder fuel. Readily accessible units with slopes under 35% will be mechanically masticated. The more remote and steeper terrain up to 50% slope, but outside of riparian setbacks will be manually hand-cut, thinned, and pile burned. The final treatment for units that are readily accessible, yet steeper than 35%, and located in the residential burn restriction area in East Quincy will be hand-cut and the materials will be brought to achiiper and the chips will be broadcasted onsite.
Contact Information
Name
Scott Rosikiewicz
Agency Name
Cal Fire
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Plumas
Township
24N
Range
9E
Section
23,24
Base
MDBM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
S:15304 C:4
Reasons for Exemption
Field review by Sara T. Jones - Project Lead, confirmed that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The Department has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, or to utilities and service systems. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE LMU Headquarters, address listed above.
Disclaimer: The document was originally posted before CEQAnet had the capability to host attachments for the public. To obtain the original attachments for this document, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613.