The Great Basin Institute, “Crystal Basin Ecological Restoration Project”
Summary
SCH Number
2025040604
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
The Great Basin Institute, “Crystal Basin Ecological Restoration Project”
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/11/2025
Document Description
CAL FIRE would provide funding to the Great Basin Institute to increase capacity with the Health Eldorado Landscape Partnership and implement treatments on the Crystal Basin Ecological Restoration Project. Treatments would occur along the U.S. Highway 50 corridor near popular recreation and tourism adjacent to the Union Valley Reservoir, Icehouse Reservoir, Wrights Lake, Alder Ridge, and the Desolation Wilderness in the central Sierra Nevada. Treatment activities include mechanical and manual thinning and piling, including commercial thinning, herbicide application, and reforestation efforts. This landscape-scale project will reduce wildfire risks to local resources, increase forest health, promote native plant and wildlife species, and improve forest resiliency.
Contact Information
Name
Shannon Johnson
Agency Name
California Department of Foresty and Fire Protection
Job Title
Staff Chief
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Jerry Keir
Agency Name
The Great Basin Institute
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Counties
El Dorado
Regions
Countywide
Total Acres
6104
Other Location Info
Portions of the Crystal Basin - USDA Forest Service Eldorado National Forest
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
PRC 4799.05(d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA does not apply to fuel reduction, reforestation, & habitat restoration projects undertaken, in whole or in part, on federal lands to reduce the risk of high severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the NEPA, if the primary role of a state or local agency is providing funding or staffing for those projects. The proposed project was reviewed in its entirety under the following Eldorado National Forest NEPA documents:
• Reservoir Forest Health Project Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact, signed May 17, 2021
• John Don’t Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact, signed April 9, 2018
• O’Leary’s Cow Fuel Reduction Project Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact, signed October 25, 2010, and Supplemental Information Report, singed January 5, 2018
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Upper American River Project – Transmission Line Fuel Break Decision Memo, signed November 21, 2022
The NEPA records of project approval is available to the General Public at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/eldorado/landmanagement/projects
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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