Goat Mountain Fuel Break Reconstruction (SNC1824)
Summary
SCH Number
2025120572
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
Goat Mountain Fuel Break Reconstruction (SNC1824)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/12/2025
Document Description
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) would provide funding for the Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council to partner with the United States Forest Service, Sierra National Forest, to reconstruct a 4.7-mile-long, east-west fuel break on Sierra National Forest lands, just south of Bass Lake. The Goat Mountain Fuel Break Reconstruction project will complete the Goat Mountain section of the Joint Chiefs’ Fuel Break, connecting with the eastern end of the Thornberry Fuel Break. Combined with the neighboring Thornberry Fuel Break, there will be a 10-mile stretch of contiguous fuel break within the fuel-break network. Treatments used will include hand treatments, mechanical treatments, and pile burning over approximately 300 acres. All work will be completed compliant with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorical Exclusion Decision Memo for the Joint Chiefs’ Fuel Break Project signed in September 2019. The fuel break will help protect the communities of Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Coarsegold, North Fork, and the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians. This is a priority project under the Madera County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, as well as the Madera County Community Wildfire Protection plan.
Contact Information
Name
Mary Akens
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
General Counsel
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Ashley Nebeker
Agency Name
Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
south of Wishon
Counties
Madera
Regions
Southern California
Other Location Info
4.7-mile long, east-west fuel break, completing the Goat Mountain section of the Joint Chiefs’ Fuel Break on Sierra National Forest lands in eastern Madera County. Eastern boundary of the project is the southern end of Bass Lake, Rd 274. Western boundary of the project is Rd 223. Project center at approximately 37.2859, -19.5583
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Pub. Resources Code, section 4799.05, subd. (d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
Public Resources Code, section 4799.05 statutorily exempts from CEQA projects for prescribed fire, reforestation, habitat restoration, thinning, or fuel-reduction projects, or to related activities included in the project description, undertaken, in whole or in part, 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 SNC has authorized/approved the use of funding for the Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council to work in partnership with the Sierra National Forest to reconstruct a fuel break on National Forest lands. The project was reviewed in its entirety under NEPA by the Sierra National Forest in the FY19 Joint Chiefs’ Fuel Break Project Categorical Exclusion Decision Memo signed on September 19, 2019.
County Clerk
Madera
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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