Yosemite Area Forest Restoration Phase II, Yosemite West
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021100076
Public Agency
Mariposa County Resource Conservation District
(MCRCD)
Document Title
Yosemite Area Forest Restoration Phase II, Yosemite West
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/5/2021
Document Description
This project is an identified project within the Mariposa County Tree Mortality Hazard Mitigation Project in a Tier 1 High Hazard zone. Hazard tree and downed tree removal work is critical to meet the public safety and fuels reduction needs stemming from widespread tree mortality in the southern Sierra Nevada, to complete the program of work (2016 Mariposa County Tree Mortality Hazard Mitigation Project) with the co-benefits that include protecting infrastructure and increasing public safety from debris flows and flooding damage due to high levels of biomass on erosive, fire damaged soils. It also protects communities located within the Wildland Urban Interface. The mitigation activities are needed based on a high density of dead or dying trees which threaten water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, powerlines, roads and other evacuation corridors, and other existing structures. The project will benefit Mariposa County residents and visitors, Mariposa County business owners, Yosemite National Park, the US Forest Service, CALFIRE and all emergency responders. The dead or dying trees included in this project are not healthy, mature or scenic trees based on their current condition. No ground disturbing activities will occur as a result of the project. No work will be done within the bed, bank or channel of any existing drainage within the project areas. Mariposa Resource Conservation District and Mariposa County have appropriately trained and qualified staff and/or contractors who have identified dead and dying trees. Dead or dying trees will be felled in a controlled manner to reduce hazards and biomass will be chipped onsite, piled and burned, or removed to a biomass disposal facility. If pile burning is needed, it will be completed in compliance with Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District permits.
Contact Information
Name
Virginia Cole
Agency Name
MCRCD
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Mariposa
Cross Streets
Yosemite Parkway and Yosemite West Well Access Rd
Zip
95338
Other Location Info
Project is located along the Yosemite West Well Access Road/ Yosemite Sewage Ponds Road heading west from the public roadway of Yosemite Parkway in the community of Yosemite West. Tree removal work is typically conducted within a 200- foot distance of County maintained roads and in close proximity to at-risk County facilities and infrastructure threatened by dead or dying trees.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Emergency Project
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(4); 15269(b)(c)
Reasons for Exemption
This project is part of the Mariposa County Tree Mortality Hazard Mitigation efforts which are short term tasks necessary to mitigate an emergency. As such, they are exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Statutory Exemptions, Section 15269 EMERGENCY PROJECTS, subsection (c): The felling of dead or dying hazard trees along county-maintained roads and near county facilities is a specific action necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency to public health and emergency access. The abundance of dead or dying hazard trees in these locations is a result of a severe drought in the area, bark beetle-infestation, and wildfire damage, and this is not a long term project.
Mariposa County Tree Mortality Hazard Mitigation Projects are categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Categorical Exemptions, Section 15301 EXISTING FACLIITIES, including subsections (c) and (h): The felling of dead or dying hazard trees along county-maintained roads and near County infrastructure is an activity necessary for maintenance of existing public facilities. The removal could also be categorized as maintenance of existing native growth in these areas, which have succumbed to prolonged drought conditions and beetle infestation, and have been impacted adversely by the 2018 Ferguson Fire. There will be no expansion of use resulting from the activity.
County Clerk
Mariposa
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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