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Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority outlines NEPA/CEQA planning for 250,000‑acre forest program
Summary
UMRA project manager Megan Leahy said UMRA seeks to scale fuels‑reduction and forest‑health projects across a proposed 250,000‑acre Phase 2 (including ~40,000 acres in Calaveras County), is preparing NEPA/CEQA‑ready projects and opened a short public comment period on the proposed action.
Megan Leahy, project management support for the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority (UMRA), briefed the Chamber on a multi‑phase forest program designed to reduce wildfire risk across the Upper Mokelumne watershed.
Leahy said UMRA is a joint powers authority involving Calaveras, Amador and Alpine counties and several water agencies; it has been partnering with the Amador‑Calaveras Consensus Group and federal and state partners to prepare projects that are 'NEPA and CEQA ready.' She said Phase 1 work (about 26,000 acres on the Amador Ranger District) is underway and that Phase 2 proposes approximately 250,000 acres of treatment across Stanislaus National Forest (Calaveras Ranger District) and El Dorado National Forest, with a portion of that acreage in Calaveras County. Leahy said UMRA aims to achieve an implementation pace of roughly 2,000 to 4,000 acres per year for the next 10–15 years and reported that last year UMRA completed about 2,000 acres and is targeting nearly 5,000 acres for the current year.
She said NEPA planning is in progress, a public comment period opened the day before the forum and that NEPA review could conclude in early 2026, with potential implementation starting in 2026 or 2027, subject to coordination and approvals. Leahy highlighted coordination with tribal entities, the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy and other partners, and said UMRA is preparing the watershed for substantial grant opportunities and supporting local contractor capacity.
Leahy encouraged attendees to consult UMRA’s website for maps and details and invited questions after the presentation.
