Contra Costa Off-Camps Center One-Time Cultural Burn Event
Summary
SCH Number
2025100649
Public Agency
California State University Board of Trustees
Document Title
Contra Costa Off-Camps Center One-Time Cultural Burn Event
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/15/2025
Document Description
The proposed project is a one-time cultural burn event to be conducted in accordance with a prepared burn plan on a designated, undeveloped portion of CSU East Bay’s Contra Costa Off-Campus Center property, east of Contra Costa Hall. The site is mostly level and is characterized by a mix of grasslands, ruderal vegetation, and scattered trees and is bordered by paved roads and walkways and surface parking. The purpose of the burn event is to address habitat degradation and introduce cultural revitalization. The efforts will directly enable ecological and cultural restoration at a meaningful landscape scale, restore fire-adapted ecosystems, and reflect cultural stewardship practices rooted in both Chochenyo Ohlone and Bay Miwok traditions on lands with which they have historical and ongoing cultural affiliations. The event is also intended to strengthen community relationships through cultural education.
The activity will involve intentional, limited, controlled burning coordinated with trained cultural fire practitioners and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the Contra Costa Fire Department, and Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The burn will be conducted under the cultural leadership of the Ohlone Land Conservancy, a Native-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Ohlone Tribe cultural leaders (a non-federally recognized Tribe), and by cultural fire practitioners with experience in burning “to meet cultural goals or objectives, including for sustenance, ceremonial activities, biodiversity, or other benefits” (PRC § 4002.6)). Full operational support and fire suppression oversight will be provided by CAL FIRE and the Contra Costa Fire Department. In accordance with BAAQMD Regulation 5 permit conditions, the burn will not take place during a Mandatory Burn Ban (“Spare the Air” alert).
Contact Information
Name
Daniel No
Agency Name
California State University, East Bay
Job Title
Director of Planning, Design and Construction
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Concord
Counties
Contra Costa
Regions
San Francisco Bay Area
Cross Streets
Ygnacio Valley Rd and Campus Dr
Zip
94521
Total Acres
<1
State Highways
Interstate 680
Schools
Clayton Valley High School
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 6, §15306 (Information Collection); Class 4, §15304 (Minor Alterations to Land); (15061(b)(3))
Reasons for Exemption
Section 21084 of the Public Resources Code (PRC) requires the CEQA Guidelines to include “a list of classes of projects which have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and which shall, therefore, be exempt from the provisions of CEQA.”
The proposed project entails a one-time cultural burn event, which is a small-scale activity involving ecological enhancement on less than five acres. Baseline environmental monitoring of soil health, pollinator surveys and biodiversity assessments will be conducted for purposes of data gathering and resource evaluation, without causing major disturbance to environmental resources, in accordance with the qualifying criteria in Section 15306, Information Collection, of the CEQA Guidelines. Furthermore, the project would realize incidental fuel management benefits. Given the location, setting, and scope of the event, the project will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, and threatened plant or animal species or significant erosion or sedimentation of surface waters.
Conduct of the burn will be implemented under the supervision of trained cultural fire practitioners and in coordination with CAL FIRE, the Contra Costa County Fire Department, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the University’s environmental compliance staff.
Finally, the project qualifies for the common sense exemption, under which CEQA exempts projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment, but where “it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA…” (Cal. Code. Regs. tit. 14, Section 15061(b)(3).
For the above reasons, the project will not result in significant environmental impacts and will result in beneficial cultural and ecological outcomes. The project is not subject to any of the CEQA Guidelines Section 1500.2 exceptions (a) through (f) to the categorical exemptions for which the project qualifies.