Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area Fuel Breaks
Summary
SCH Number
2023040123
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6
(CDFW)
Document Title
Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area Fuel Breaks
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/6/2023
Document Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) proposes to create fuel breaks along existing fence lines and along Buttermilk Road within the Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area.
This fuel break project will establish hand thinned fuel breaks along existing roads and fence lines, seeding of fire-resistant native vegetation such as native perennial grasses in large areas of bare soil, and follow up invasive plant control measures in fuel breaks during subsequent maintenance. Fuel breaks along 1.75 miles of existing fence lines will be 20 feet wide removing all shrubs. The fuel break along 0.4 miles of Buttermilk Road will be 500 feet wide and only remove shrubs to increase the interspacing with irregular edges to minimize aesthetic impacts. Labor will be completed by CAL FIRE or California Conservation Corps hand crews supervised by CDFW staff. Removed vegetation will be lopped and scattered or hauled off site.
Bird clearance surveys will be conducted within 5 days prior to initiating any project activities. Biological and vegetation surveys of the project area will also be conducted within 5 days of any work conducted to evaluate the current site conditions and to assess presence/absence of special status plant or animal species. If special status plants or mammal burrows are found they will be flagged and avoided.
Pre-project surveys and fuel reduction activities will commence in May 2023, or as access permits. Operations will continue, based on crew availability, until completed. These treatments may be repeated as needed to maintain the fuel breaks.
Contact Information
Name
Aaron Johnson
Agency Name
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Job Title
Senior Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Inyo
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Buttermilk Road 7S01
Zip
93514
Parcel #
012-070-02, 012-070-03
State Highways
CA
Township
7S
Range
31E
Section
29-32
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area, Inyo County
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301
Reasons for Exemption
the Project includes the maintenance and repair of existing fence lines by the removal of encroaching vegetation and the creation of a fuel break along an existing road. The project will not expand or extend the existing roadways or fence lines and is designed to slow the spread of future wildfires and provide for better emergency access.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15304
Reasons for Exemption
the Project will result in minor alterations to CDFW owned land and vegetation on an officially designated Wildlife Area which will mitigate potential injury or damage to important habitat, infrastructure, and property that could result from future wildfires.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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