South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project (SNC1512)
Summary
SCH Number
2023030177
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project (SNC1512)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/6/2023
Document Description
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy would provide funding for the County of Nevada to conduct planning activities to identify 800 acres of priority treatments within a 6,000 acre strategic planning area to reduce wildfire risk for over 44,000 residents in local communities and protect critical infrastructure and natural resources, including two State Parks, the South Yuba River watershed, and Tahoe National Forest and BLM public lands. The County of Nevada will 1) Engage partners in planning, including individual landowners, communities, and experts on the San Juan Ridge; 2) identify approximately 800 acres of priority treatment areas within the 6,000-acre strategic planning area, obtain permissions from private landowners to initiate treatment design and agree to right of access, land tenure, and maintenance. Treatment design will include surveying and mapping of treatment areas, development of treatment prescriptions by a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) and landowner approval of treatment prescriptions; and 3) for the 800-acre priority area, reconnaissance-level biological surveys, a cultural resource records search and cultural resource site surveys, and pre-treatment biological surveys will be conducted. These data will be used to prepare the required State environmental review and permitting elements, which may be a Project Specific Analysis (PSA)- Addendum to the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) Programmatic Environmental Impact Report, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP), required findings, etc. under CalVTP. In addition, a visual impact survey and environmental justice analysis will be conducted.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
Legal Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Approx. 3 mi southeast of Sweetland
Counties
Nevada
Regions
Northern California
Other Location Info
Approx. 3 mi southeast of Sweetland, on the ridge between Bridgeport and Lake City.
Other Information
Forested land on the San Juan Ridge in Nevada County, between the communities of Bridgeport and Lake City, on US Bureau of Land Management and private property. Project center at approximately 39.19’30N/121.03’39W .
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15262 Feasibility and Planning Studies
Reasons for Exemption
The project is Statutorily Exempt under Section 15262 Feasibility and Planning Studies as the project only involves planning studies for possible future actions which the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board has not approved, adopted, or funded; there is no legally binding effect on later activities. The project is also categorically exempt under Section 15306 Information Collection because it consists of basic data collection and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a disturbance to environmental resources. The proposed activities are for information gathering purposes and are part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. SNC has independently reviewed the project and determined that no exception under Section 15306 applies.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15306 Information Collection
Reasons for Exemption
The project is Statutorily Exempt under Section 15262 Feasibility and Planning Studies as the project only involves planning studies for possible future actions which the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board has not approved, adopted, or funded; there is no legally binding effect on later activities. The project is also categorically exempt under Section 15306 Information Collection because it consists of basic data collection and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a disturbance to environmental resources. The proposed activities are for information gathering purposes and are part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded. SNC has independently reviewed the project and determined that no exception under Section 15306 applies.
County Clerk
Nevada
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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