Ukiah Fuels and Fire Break Project – Orr Springs Road (MCFSC)
Summary
SCH Number
2022010197
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Ukiah Fuels and Fire Break Project – Orr Springs Road (MCFSC)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/13/2022
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to improve ingress and egress safety, reduce wildfire risk, and aid in fire suppression activities through fuel reduction treatments. This project aims to reduce roadside understory and ladder fuels along 20 miles of Orr Springs Road between North State Street and Low Gap Road in Ukiah, Mendocino County, California. The project area contains a diversity of plant communities including valley oak woodland, mixed oak forest, live oak woodland, madrone forest, Douglas fir forest, Douglas fir-tanoak forest, tanoak forest, bay forest, redwood forest, and maple forest. Vegetation will be thinned and pruned within the road right-of-way (30 feet on either side). All work will be completed using manual treatment methods (no off-road heavy equipment or ground disturbance proposed). Hand crews will employ chainsaws, pole saws, weed whackers, and hand tools to remove small trees, brush, and surface/ground fuels. Live trees (10 inches in diameter or less) will be removed when appropriate. Larger trees will be pruned to provide for a minimum vertical clearance of 8 feet. Slash and debris created by this project will be chipped and scattered onsite. Chippers will not leave the roadway. Any material to be chipped will be transported by hand to the parked equipment.
Contact Information
Name
Julie Rhoads
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Ukiah
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Orr Springs Road between North State Street and Low Gap Road
Total Acres
145
Other Location Info
Portions of T15N R12W Sec 7; T15N R13W Secs 1, 2, 12; T16N R13W Secs 19, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35; T16N R14W Secs 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24; & T16N R15W Sec 24 MDBM.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail understory brush removal, 10” DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. As such, CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, and 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, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, 802 N. Main Street. Attn. VMP Coordinator.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, 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. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.