Landscape Scale Management to Combat Goldspotted Oak Borer in Southern California and Forest Health Project & Pesticide Spray Program to Protect Oaks
Summary
SCH Number
2023010466
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Landscape Scale Management to Combat Goldspotted Oak Borer in Southern California and Forest Health Project & Pesticide Spray Program to Protect Oaks
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/24/2023
Document Description
Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council proposes to protect oaks (Quercus spp.) from an invasive forest pest, the Goldspotted Oak Borer (Agrilus auroguttatus), by implementing a pesticide spray and tree removal program in the mountain communities in Riverside County, California. Funding support for the proposed program (project) is under the Forest Health Program from the California Climate Investment Program (CCI); a grant program administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The project will occur in the San Jacinto Mountains Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) of Riverside County, consisting of over 8000 homes and 6000 unimproved parcels. It is located in a densely overgrown forest where years of drought, bark beetle and Golden Spotted Oak Borer (GSOB) infestation, and seasonal dry winds known as Santa Anas have severely increased the potential of a catastrophic wildfire. In addition, successive years of drought have caused critically low fuel moistures lasting throughout much of the year and have also increased the number of dead fuel within the area. These 8000 homes and 6000 parcels lie predominately within the SRA. The project is located in and surrounding the mountain communities of Idyllwild, Pine Cove, Poppet Flats, Pinyon Pines, and Mountain Center. The project area is a mixed conifer setting, above 3,000 feet ASL, with various aspects and slopes. The project intends to protect oaks on private and non-federal government parcels. Most of the private properties are developed for residential use and are small parcels, less than 0.5 acres in size. The non-federal properties are limited to local water district properties and Riverside County properties.
Contact Information
Name
Jamie Sammut
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Staff Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
T3S, R1E, Sec. 25, 35, 36 SBBM
T3S, R2E, Sec. 19-20, 28-33 SBBM
T4S, R1E, Sec. 1-3, 10, 15-16, 21-22 SBBM
T4S, R2E, Sec. 6-8, 16-17, 20-21, 16-17 SBBM
T4S, R3E, Sec. 31-32 SBBM
T5S, R2E, Sec. 1-2, 10-14, 23-26, 35-36 SBBM
T5S, R3E, Sec. 5-8, 17-19, 29-35 SBBM
T6S, R3E, Sec. 4-5, 8-10, 15, 22-26, 35-36 SBBM
T6S, R4E, Sec. 30-32 SBBM
T7S, R3E, Sec. 1 SBBM
T7S, R4E, Sec. 5-9, 16-17 SBBM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4, Section 15304
Reasons for Exemption
Field review by RPF supervised designee Paul Ohlman confirmed that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The RPF and supervised designee 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, and utility and service systems. Class 4 - Minor Alterations to Land: The project is categorically exempt from CEQA under the "Class 4" ( 14 CCR 15304) exemption per the CEQA Guidelines because the project involves the minor alteration of the condition of land and/or vegetation and does not require the removal of healthy, mature scenic trees. A field review by Paul Ohlman, an RPF supervised designee, confirmed that no exceptions apply, precluding the use of a “Notice of Exemption” for this project. However, if the scope of this project changes or at any time does not fall under Class 4 Categorical Exemption, a new CEQA analysis and determination will be conducted.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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