Crystal Basin – Healthy Eldorado Landscape Partnership Pilot Project – Recreation Activities (SNC937.1A-LGPP) [SCH 2024040622]
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024040622
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
Crystal Basin – Healthy Eldorado Landscape Partnership Pilot Project – Recreation Activities (SNC937.1A-LGPP) [SCH 2024040622]
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/6/2025
Document Description
The purpose of the Crystal Basin – Healthy Eldorado Landscape Partnership Pilot Project – Recreation Activities is to amend the Grant Agreement between SNC and Great Basin Institute allowing grant funds to be used towards implementation of recreation activities in the Wrights Lake Recreation Area. The project is to plan for and implement repairs, modernization, and enhancement of the existing recreation infrastructure with improvements to parking safety, information kiosks, fee stations, trail access, restrooms, water spigots, campsites, and accessibility features commensurate with present-day usage. The project would also regrade damaged areas of the main roadway and implement critical traffic control features to increase visitor safety and access. Another purpose of the project is for understory vegetation thinning treatments to occur around trailheads, if needed, and hazard tree removal. All project work would be within and upon the existing recreation infrastructure and amenities around Wrights Lake.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
General Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Jerry Keir
Agency Name
Great Basin Institute (GBI)
Job Title
GBI Stewardship Consultant
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
None; El Dorado National Forest
Counties
El Dorado
Regions
Northern California
Township
12N
Range
16E
Section
28
Other Location Info
Wrights Lake Recreation Area, Pacific Ranger District, Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado County. Approximately 6.25 miles northeast of Kyburz, 6.4 miles northwest of Twin Bridges, 11 miles west of Meyers, and 42 miles east of Pilot Hill. T12N, R16E, Sec. 28,32,33.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code, Section 4799.05, subd. (d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
The project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities, which consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use. This project is to repair and upgrade existing recreation infrastructure on Eldorado National Forest lands around Wrights Lake, which has degraded over time with extensive public use. All of the proposed work would be done on existing public campgrounds, trails, and access roads, including such activities as updated information kiosks, new bear bins, improving accessibility features, parking access and control measures, new water spigots, replacing picnic tables, repairing bathroom roofs, and new signage. This project consists of the repair, maintenance, and minor alterations to existing public recreational facilities and structures, with no expansion of use. The project has been independently reviewed and the SNC has determined that none of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 would apply. Additionally, under Pub. Resources Code, Section 4799.05, subd. (d)(1), CEQA does not apply to prescribed fire, thinning, or fuel-reduction projects undertaken on federal lands to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) if the primary role of a state or local agency is providing funding or staffing for those projects. Some SNC funds may be used toward understory vegetation thinning treatments around select trailheads on Eldorado National Forest lands around Wrights Lake. The proposed hazard tree removal is part of a broader Eldorado National Forest project, the Wrights Lake Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, which was reviewed in its entirety pursuant to NEPA, as documented in the Wrights Lake Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project Decision Memo, which was signed on October 3, 2024.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities
Reasons for Exemption
The project is categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities, which consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The key consideration is whether the project involves negligible or no expansion of use. This project is to repair and upgrade existing recreation infrastructure on Eldorado National Forest lands around Wrights Lake, which has degraded over time with extensive public use. All of the proposed work would be done on existing public campgrounds, trails, and access roads, including such activities as updated information kiosks, new bear bins, improving accessibility features, parking access and control measures, new water spigots, replacing picnic tables, repairing bathroom roofs, and new signage. This project consists of the repair, maintenance, and minor alterations to existing public recreational facilities and structures, with no expansion of use. The project has been independently reviewed and the SNC has determined that none of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 would apply. Additionally, under Pub. Resources Code, Section 4799.05, subd. (d)(1), CEQA does not apply to prescribed fire, thinning, or fuel-reduction projects undertaken on federal lands to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) if the primary role of a state or local agency is providing funding or staffing for those projects. Some SNC funds may be used toward understory vegetation thinning treatments around select trailheads on Eldorado National Forest lands around Wrights Lake. The proposed hazard tree removal is part of a broader Eldorado National Forest project, the Wrights Lake Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, which was reviewed in its entirety pursuant to NEPA, as documented in the Wrights Lake Forest Health and Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project Decision Memo, which was signed on October 3, 2024.
County Clerk
El Dorado
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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