The Newhall Land and Farming Company, LV Lake Elizabeth and Land Veritas Corporation Safe Harbor Agreement (No. 2089-2018-002-05) and Amendment No. 2 to the Pet

2024060243

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW)

NOE - Notice of Exemption

6/7/2024

6/7/2024

Heather Pert

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region

Environmental Program Manager

Lead/Public Agency

3883 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123

(858) 395-9692

heather.pert@wildlife.ca.gov

See below "Other Location Info."

The project is located within the Lake Elizabeth Portion of the Petersen Ranch Mitigation Bank, in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, Latitude 34.39543N, Longitude - 118.24471; approximately 1.7 miles east of the community of Lake Huges, south of Elizabeth Lake Road.

Categorical Exemption

Type – Class 4; CA Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15304 Class 7; CA Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15307

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has approved the amendment to the Petersen Ranch Mitigation Bank, Bank Enabling Instrument (BEI) and the executed Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA) No. 2089-2018-002-05 (collectively, the Project) for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Pub. Resources Code, § 21000 et seq.). The Project will reintroduce San Fernando Valley Spineflower to a seven-acre site within Petersen Ranch Mitigation Bank. Reintroduction activities will include the preparation and seeding of the reintroduction area and an eight-year maintenance and monitoring period to determine whether a self-sustaining San Fernando Valley Spineflower population has been successfully established. If establishment occurs, continual long-term management of the habitat and population will be implemented. CDFW approved the Project relying on the Classes 4 and 7 Categorical Exemptions, respectively. (CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15304, 15307.) Each exemption as relevant to the Project is discussed below. Class 4 Categorical Exemption CDFW finds the Project to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15304, the exemption for “Minor Alterations to Land.” Class 4, as relevant here, consists of minor alterations in the condition of vegetation which do not involve the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees. The Project falls within the class because the reintroduction of San Fernando Valley Spineflower will only require minor ground disturbance to introduce the species. The reintroduction area is limited to no more than seven acres. There are no trees that will be removed as part of the Project. Class 7 Categorical Exemption CDFW finds the Project to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15307, the exemption for “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources.” Class 7, as relevant here, consists of actions as taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law to assure the restoration of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. The Project falls within the class because the activities as approved by CDFW will restore and enhance the existing habitat to reintroduce the San Fernando Valley Spineflower, which is listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.