Butte Unit Station 22 Fuels Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2023010263
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Butte Unit Station 22 Fuels Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/13/2023
Document Description
This project will reduce fuels on an approximately 5-acre CALFIRE parcel in the Community of Cohasset. The parcel is located off Cohasset Rd in northern Butte County. This parcel is forested with an average slope of 10% and an elevation of around 2800’. The project area is located within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, which identifies this area as high risk for large scale wildland fires. The project area was last impacted by wildfire in 1931. The lack of recent fire history has caused a buildup of material in the understory that was historically treated with prescribed fire until recently. Treatment methods will include hand cutting, mastication, herbicide application and landscape broadcast burning. Hand cutting will be conducted using hand tools and chainsaws to thin live trees, remove hazard and down trees, and remove ladder fuels. Trees greater than 12 in DBH will be reviewed by an RPF or designee prior to removal. Mastication targeting woody perennials will be accomplished with either an excavator/Timbco with mastication heads or tracked mulching/masticating tractors, no subsoiling will occur. Herbicide application will be directed spray from backpack pumps. The primary target of the herbicide application is woody non-native perennials, other invasive or non-native species may be targeted as well. Cut vegetation may be chipped and scattered, lopped, or piled and burned. There are existing containment lines on the parcel from legacy broadcast burns that will be reused. Reestablishment of the containment lines will only require the use of hand tools to clear the leaves and litter.
Contact Information
Name
Calvin Davison
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Butte
Regions
Countywide
Zip
95973
Total Acres
5
Other Location Info
Portions of T24N, R2E, Sec 22 & 23 MDBM
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 Class 4 of Categorical Exemptions to CEQA: Minor Alterations to Land. This project consists of minor alterations of vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, or scenic trees on public or private land.
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 CAL FIRE Office, 6640 Steiffer Rd, Magalia CA 95954.
County Clerk
Butte
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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