PDC Fuels Reduction and Training
Summary
SCH Number
2022120669
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
PDC Fuels Reduction and Training
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/28/2022
Document Description
This project is located 1 mile east of the City of Porterville. The project will consist of fuels reduction and training in a valley oak woodland. The goal of this project is to provide a training location for the engines and firefighter hand crews in the Tulare Unit. This training will include the limbing of ladder fuels (at or below 15ft) and decreasing the horizontal continuity of fuels, and handline construction (4ft and below), followed by pile burning and prescribed fire to increase the resiliency of the valley oak woodland habitat to wildfire. The dominate overstory trees are Valley Oaks (Quercus lobata), a shrub layer of a mix of native and non-native species: elderberry (Sambucus mexicana, Baccharis salicifolia, and Ailanthus altissima), and the herbaceous layer is a mix of native annual wildflowers and non-native grasses. The Class 4 Campbell-Moreland Ditch is a name historic feature and will have a 50ft heavy equipment buffer, there is an existing road within 50ft that heavy equipment (e.g., fire engine, crew bus) can operate on.
Contact Information
Name
David Shy
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Unit Forester
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Tulare
Regions
Countywide
Total Acres
220
Other Location Info
Portions of T22S R28E Sec 5 & 6 MDBM
Other Information
Approximately 1 mile east of the City of Porterville
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 §15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
This project fits under the Categorical Exemption as described under 14CCR §15304 Minor Alteration to Land. CNDDB, archeological and field reviews have been conducted for this project. No significant environmental impact is anticipated from this project.
Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply that 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, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/ traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at 1968 S Lovers ln, Visalia CA, 93621.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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