Reader Ranch Fuel Break
Summary
SCH Number
2016018217
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Reader Ranch Fuel Break
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/25/2016
Document Description
This project area consists of up to 224 acres located along a ridge line above Shady Creak. The vegetative cover is primarily a mixed conifer, black oak over story with a thick, heavy brush understory. The land is zoned for agriculture and forest land with most parcels in excess of forty acres. The area is a wildland urban interface with several homes receiving direct protection by the fuel break.
The proposed project involves utilizing CALFIRE hand crews and/or masticators to remove understory fuels along the ridgeline and/or nearby roads to provide a safe, strategic location to attack a wildfire while improving access and egress to responding units and the public. The work will remove the fuel ladder by removing underbrush and pruning trees up eight to ten feet where practical. Trees greater than 6" will be left uncut unless infested with insects and a likely threat to the remaining trees. A RPF shall identify any trees over ^" diameter to be removed.
Contact Information
Name
Sean Griffis
Agency Name
Cal Fire
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Nevada
Waterways
Shady Creek
Township
17N
Range
08E
Section
17
Base
MDB&M
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
C:1,4,7 S:15304
Reasons for Exemption
The project involves using a masticator and hand crews to clear brush and ladder fuels on and adjacent to a ridgeline and roadways. The resulting condition will be only slightly and temporarily altered from the existing conditions of the land. A CAL FIRE Registered Professional Forester has conducted an environmental review of the project and determined, pursuant to 14 CCR § 15300.2 (a), (b), (c) and (f) that no cumulative impacts will occur and no historical resources or unusual circumstances exist which would prevent the use of a Categorical Exemption.
Field Review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The Department has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, 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/traffic, or to utilities and service systems. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at ENU Headquarters in Auburn.
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