Tahoe Forest Gateway - Forest Health, Phase Two (SNC #1800) [SCH 2024020703]
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024020703
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
Tahoe Forest Gateway - Forest Health, Phase Two (SNC #1800) [SCH 2024020703]
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/6/2025
Document Description
The Tahoe Forest Gateway - Forest Health, Phase Two project (Project) will implement forest-health treatments on 189 acres of privately owned forested land, as part of a larger project to treat a full 563 acres of forested land. The Project has multiple goals of reducing overgrown stand density, reducing brush and ladder fuels, improving existing tree health and species structure, replanting native pollinator species, and improving conditions for wildlife. Most of the site will be treated to thin overly dense tree stands and reduce undesirable species, including hand thinning to remove brush and ladder fuels. Select areas will be masticated. Conifer stand basal area will be thinned to approximately 80 – 150 square feet per acre to the extent feasible. Conifers and black oak under 10” diameter at breast height will be thinned and spaced from remaining trees by at least 10 to 20 feet. Mistletoe will be removed from cedar groves. Approximately 115 acres will be prepared and planted with pollinator species. Approximately 4.4 miles of roads will be repaired and maintained in order to access the restoration work. Gates and fencing will be installed to prevent unauthorized recreational access to the property, which may disturb the restoration work. The Project will follow all applicable procedures within the California Board of Forestry’s Forest Practice Rules that are required for protection of the environment.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
General Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Darryl Lucien
Agency Name
40 Acre Conservation League (40ACL)
Job Title
40ACL Advisor
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
Emigrant Gap
Counties
Placer
Regions
Northern California
Other Location Info
Latitude/Longitude: 39.287312, -120.686445, approximate center of project area. Adjacent to Highway 80 just west of Emigrant Gap, between Blue Canyon and Nyack, approximately 70 miles east of Sacramento, just west of the Nyack Rd. exit.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code Section 21080.56, subdivision (a)
Reasons for Exemption
The Project is statutorily exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 21080.56, subd. (a) Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP). In December 2023, the Wildlife Conservation Board, as Lead Agency, proposed a determination that the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to SERP. On January 19, 2024, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Director, Charlton H. Bonham, Certified the Concurrence Determination No. 21080.56-2023-046-R2 (“2024 Concurrence Determination”) concurring with the Wildlife Conservation Board’s determination as Lead Agency that the project meets all of the following conditions: (1) the Project is exclusively to conserve, restore, protect, or enhance, and assist in the recovery of California native fish and wildlife, and the habitat upon which they depend; or is exclusively to retore or provide habitat for California native fish and wildlife; (2) the Project may have public benefits incidental to the Project’s fundamental purpose; (3) the Project will result in long-term net benefits to climate resiliency, biodiversity, and sensitive species recovery; and includes procedures and ongoing management for the protection of the environment; and (4) Project construction activities are solely related to habitat restoration. The Project will follow all applicable procedures within the California Board of Forestry’s Forest Practice Rules that are required for protection of the environment. The Concurrence Determination allows other public agencies to rely on this concurrence when it proposes to carry out or approve the Project subsequent to the effective date of the Concurrence Determination, the 2024 Concurrence Determination shall remain in effect and no separate concurrence from CDFW shall be required so long as the other public agency is carrying out or approving the Project as described by the 2024 Concurrence Determination and Wildlife Conservation Board’s Request. The SNC determined that the Project is as described in by the 2024 Concurrence Determination and Wildlife Conservation Board’s Request. For these reasons, the Project is exempt from the requirements of CEQA.
County Clerk
Placer
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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