Board clears environmental review for four hazardous-fuels projects; work approved under CalVTP

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors on May 27 approved environmental clearance for four hazardous-fuels reduction projects in western Nevada County, finding each project within the scope of the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) programmatic environmental impact report.

Alex Keeble Toole, director of the county Office of Emergency Services, told the board the items — Woodpecker Ravine Phase 1; South Huber Rim Phase 1; and Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone Phase 1 maintenance and Phase 2 — represent more than a year of coordination with landowners, consultants and partner agencies. Funding sources differ by project: Cal Fire for Woodpecker Ravine; FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Cal OES for South Huber Rim; and U.S. Forest Service funds alongside county contributions for Ponderosa projects.

Project details provided to the board included: Woodpecker Ravine Phase 1 treatment area of roughly 370 acres of mixed treatment types (presentation identified approximately 280 acres of hand thin-and-chip, 18 acres hand thin-and-pile, and 72 acres of mastication); Ponderosa Phase 1 planning area of about 1,200 acres with 728 acres prioritized for maintenance and a Phase 2 treatment area of about 236 acres. Toole said project-specific environmental analyses — roughly 400 pages each — leveraged the CalVTP programmatic EIR and included botanical, wildlife and cultural surveys.

Board members asked about trail impacts and federal timeline delays. Toole said trail closures or signage will be coordinated with treatment vendors when work occurs on private property. He also said a scope modification request submitted to the U.S. Forest Service in October remains pending; approval timing has delayed the Ponderosa projects’ implementation and several pre-implementation surveys must align with seasonal bloom and breeding windows.

During public comment, Allison Paulus, an ornithologist who operates a bird-banding station at Empire Mine State Historic Park and a resident adjacent to the Ponderosa Phase 2 planning area, said she had mapped species of concern (yellow-breasted chat, western pond turtle, Sierra newts and diverse native wildflowers) and described CalVTP notification and survey timing as inadequate. She urged avoiding mastication and heavy treatments during breeding season and called for project relocation into existing fire scars where appropriate. Caller Matthew Golter and other commenters said recent vegetation work has harmed local nesting habitat and urged more careful timing and notification.

Toole responded that mitigation measures in CalVTP were being followed, that registered professional foresters and private landowner consultation shaped placement, and that crews will be trained to flag and avoid riparian and sensitive areas. He said the shaded-fuel-break treatments intend to leave overstory and understory retention targets (described as leaving 75% overstory and 50% understory) rather than complete clear-cutting.

The board approved each resolution individually by roll call. Vote tallies recorded by district were unanimous for each item: District 5 — yes; District 2 — yes; District 4 — yes; District 3 — yes; District 1 — yes. The board directed the director of Emergency Services to sign and file notices of determination with the clerk/recorder for each project.

Next steps vary by project and funder: Woodpecker Ravine is ready to implement with Cal Fire funding and competitively selected vendors; South Huber Rim will deliver documents to FEMA in July, with implementation timing to be determined; and the Ponderosa projects await final USFS scope approval and timing of surveys.