Community Buffer Fuel Reduction (OV-4) Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024081418
Public Agency
Olympic Valley Public Service District
Document Title
Community Buffer Fuel Reduction (OV-4) Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/30/2024
Document Description
The proposed 127.7-acre project is located within and immediately adjacent to the community of Olympic Valley, California. The project area is dominated by native Eastside Pine stands of California Wildlife Habitat Relationship (CWHR) Size 3 and 4 with a Canopy Closure M, meaning the project area contains a moderate canopy closure of 40-59%. The proposed project will reduce the continuity of surface and ladder fuels less than 12” diameter breast height (DBH) in effort to reduce hazardous fuel loading and arrangement such that the flame length, intensity, rate of spread, and duration of potential wildfire is reduced. The proposed project will 1) Utilize hand and mechanical treatment methods to reduce the continuity of surface and ladder fuels, 2) leave remaining native shrub species and trees in a discontinuous, mosaic fashion at least 15 feet from the dripline of any conifer such that residual fuels will not contribute to horizontal or vertical fuels, and 3) prune residual conifers within the project area to a to a minimum height of 10 feet as measured from the lowest live green limb to the top of the surface fuels. Live riparian hardwood and other riparian species will be retained and left unaltered.
Contact Information
Name
Charley Miller
Agency Name
Olympic Valley Public Service District
Job Title
General Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Olympic Valley
Counties
Placer
Regions
Unincorporated
Zip
96146
Township
T16N
Range
R16E
Section
S28-33
Base
MDB&M
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15304 Minor Alterations to Land (Class 4)
Reasons for Exemption
This project fits under Categorical Exemption: 15304 Minor Alterations to Land (Class 4) which allows minor alteration of vegetation including fuel management activities to reduce volume of flammable vegetation, provided the activities do not result in the taking of endangered, rare, or threatened plant/animal species or cause significant erosion and sedimentation of waters. The pruning of residual trees will be restricted to those that reduce the vertical and horizontal continuity of fuels, and/or provide for improved ingress/egress in the event of wildfire. The proposed project has been designed to protect hydrology and water and soil resources to prevent significant erosion or sedimentation of waters. The project, as designed, is consistent with the use of a Categorical Exemption.
Field review confirmed that no exceptions apply that would preclude the use of a notice of exemption for this project. Environmental review consistent with California Environmental Quality Act has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland or timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation or traffic, utilities and service systems or to wildfire. The Olympic Valley Public Service District Board of Directors has authorized staff to file appropriate documentation and determined on 8/27/2024 that the current fuel overgrowth poses a significant threat to the Olympic Valley Community and that it is an urgent priority to implement wildfire mitigation projects to protect life, property, and the environment from wildfire.
County Clerk
Placer
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.