(RFFCP2022) WIP Capacity Subgrant - Sierra RCD (1712-RFFCP)
Summary
SCH Number
2024060862
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
(RFFCP2022) WIP Capacity Subgrant - Sierra RCD (1712-RFFCP)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/19/2024
Document Description
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy would provide funding to the Sierra Resource Conservation District to collaborate with local communities, regional partners, and stakeholders to develop a priority plan to improve forest health and fire resiliency. The proposed activities will increase capacity to identify, prioritize, and develop potential future projects, specifically in the Sierra National Forest high priority Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas, although not exclusively. Tasks conducted under these activities would include participating in training sessions, attending regional conferences, working to develop monitoring and evaluation plans, surveying and mapping, creation of a Stakeholder Advisory Council, communicating and engaging with stakeholders, conducting meetings, and the gathering of pertinent data and information for plan development. The Sierra Resource Conservation District would also evaluate the planning, permitting and compliance requirements for potential future projects which have not yet been identified. The purpose is to engage with their community and stakeholders to generate a list of future priority forest health projects and create a plan for monitoring projects as well as completing a Capacity Building Sustainability Report. These activities could potentially lead to improved forest health and fire resiliency, facilitate greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and increase carbon sequestration.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
General Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
None – feasibility planning project
Counties
Fresno
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
General communication, outreach, and planning activities across parts of Fresno County
Other Information
The community of Auberry is within the project area.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Common Sense Exemption – CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061, subd. (b)(3) and Feasibility and Planning Studies
Reasons for Exemption
These activities are exempt under the commonsense exemption under Section 15061, subd. (b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines which states that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This grant funding will support capacity building activities and project pipeline development tasks such as training, coordination of meetings, surveying, mapping, and community engagement as well as the gathering and sharing of data for early-stage planning and prioritization of currently unidentified, potential future projects related to forest health and fire resiliency. They are early-stage planning activities; no specific projects have yet been identified, nor have they been approved, adopted, or funded. There will be no ground or resource disturbance. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. Additionally, the project would be statutorily exempt under CEQA Guidelines, section 15262 exempting feasibility and planning studies as the activity involves planning studies for possible future actions which the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board has not approved, adopted, or funded. Further, there is no legally binding effect on later activities. (Common Sense Exemption – CEQA Guidelines, Section 15061, subd. (b)(3) and Feasibility and Planning Studies under Pub. Resources Code, Section 21102 and CEQA Guidelines, Section 15262)
County Clerk
Fresno
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.