June Mountain Fuels Reduction and Keystone System Restoration Project, Phase II (SNC 1227)
Summary
SCH Number
2020030345
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
June Mountain Fuels Reduction and Keystone System Restoration Project, Phase II (SNC 1227)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/10/2020
Document Description
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy would provide $458,673 in funding for forest thinning and fuel reduction treatments on 214 acres of federal land within the Inyo National Forest including mechanical and hand thinning and pile burning. The treatments would enhance forest health by removal of mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine and candidate-threatened whitebark pine, promote ecosystem resiliency in the event of wildfire, improve watershed condition, and provide water supply protection in the surrounding areas.
Contact Information
Name
Jamie Sammut
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Agency Name
California Trout
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Location
Counties
Mono
Other Location Info
Within the June Mountain Ski Area in Mono County, Center of project area is 37.745554°N / 119.070546°W
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code Section 4799.05(d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to prescribed fire, thinning, or fuel reduction projects undertaken 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 Sierra Nevada Conservancy would provide funding for fuel reduction on 214 acres of federal land within the Inyo National Forest. The proposed activities were reviewed in their entirety under NEPA in the June Mountain Vegetation Management Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The final Decision Notice for the EA/FONSI was signed by the Plumas National Forest on June 6, 2012. In 2020, the US Forest Service reviewed the EA/FONSI and certified that the NEPA analysis adequately addresses current site conditions and project impacts.