Ridge Road EAR
Summary
SCH Number
2023070010
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Ridge Road EAR
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/3/2023
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to improve ingress and egress safety, reduce wildfire risk, and aid in fire suppression activities through fuel reduction treatments. This project aims to reduce roadside fuels along 1.1 miles of a privately owned section of Ridge Road which is on the west side of the community of Brooktrails and northeast of Willits, CA. The treatment area extends from the road centerline out to 100 feet on either side of the road. This amounts to approximately 27 acres of fuels reduction treatment area. Work will be completed using equipment and manual treatment methods, with the potential to masticate ladder fuels in select areas. An excavator with a masticator head (swing-boom mechanics) would be used off-road to treat aboveground vegetation. Hand crews will employ chippers, chainsaws, pole saws, weed-whackers, and hand tools to remove small trees, brush, and surface/ground fuels. Live trees (less than 10” in diameter) will be removed to improve tree spacing. Larger trees will be pruned to provide for a minimum vertical clearance of 10.5 feet. Slash and debris created by this project will either be chipped, lop-and-scattered, or piled for burning.
Contact Information
Name
Julie Rhoads
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Willits
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Countywide
Township
18N
Range
14W
Section
3
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
Ridge Road is on the west side of the community of Brooktrails and northeast of Willits, CA
Other Information
T18N; R14W; Sections 3, 9, and 10 Mt. Diablo Base & Meridian
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 §15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail understory brush removal, 10” DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. As such, CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, and 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, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, 802 N. Main Street. Attn. VMP Coordinator.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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