Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley Fire Protection Project (SNC 1692.1)
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024060308
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley Fire Protection Project (SNC 1692.1)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/6/2024
Document Description
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) would amend grant agreement 1692.1 to update the project description with respect to thinning to include that thinning would also focus on live trees up to 30 inches diameter at breast height and may be removed in limited circumstances where both the following conditions occur: 1) the larger diameter material is located in an area that is accessible by mechanical equipment, and 2) where a 16-inch diameter limited would not adequately reduce flame lengths to desired conditions in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Threat and Defense zones. This project provides funding to the National Forest Foundation to partner with the Tahoe National Forest to mitigate wildfire risk for the communities of Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley through active forest management in the Tahoe National Forest. As stated in the previously filed NOE, this project would reduce wildfire risk on up to 1,080 acres of federal land near important ingress and egress routes, private property, and valuable public infrastructure. Expected outcomes from the project are to reduce fuels in the WUI Defense and WUI Threat Zones so that these zones can be used for wildfire suppression and control; allow for safe ingress and egress by first responders and the public in the event of a wildfire or during an emergency evacuation; improve overall forest health and resilience; and protect important upland water resources. Proposed treatment methods include mastication, mechanical thinning, hand thinning, and biomass removal.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
General Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Alpine Meadows and unincorporated community of Olympic Valley
Counties
Placer
Regions
Northern California
Other Location Info
T15N, R16E, Sections 3, 4, 8, and 9; T16N, R16E, Sections 28, 33, and 34
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code Section 4799.05(d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
Public Resources Code, section 4799.05 statutorily exempts from CEQA projects for prescribed fire, reforestation, habitat restoration, thinning, or fuel-reduction projects, or to related activities included in the project description, undertaken, in whole or in part, 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. The SNC would provide funding to reduce forest fuels within the Tahoe National Forest. The proposed activities were reviewed in their entirety pursuant to NEPA in a Categorial Exclusion (2024) under the “Wildfire Resilience” category within HFRA Section 605(c)(2)(c). The Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley Fire Protection Project Decision Memo was signed on March 8, 2024.
County Clerk
Placer
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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