By-Day Creek Road Improvements and Instream Restoration

2026060060

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Inland Deserts Region 6 (CDFW)

NOE - Notice of Exemption

6/2/2026

6/2/2026

Nicholas Buckmaster

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Sr. Environmental Scientist, Supervisor

Lead/Public Agency

787 North Main St., Suite 220
Bishop, CA 93514

(760) 920-8391

nick.buckmaster@wildlife.ca.gov

U.S. 395 and Buckeye Road, Mono County, CA

93517

By-Day Creek, approximately 5 miles NW of the unincorporated community of Bridgeport, Mono County. The Project will occur on CDFW lands within the 460-acre By-Day Ecological Reserve.

Categorical Exemption

Class 7 (§15307), Class 8 (§15308), Class 33 (C §15333)

Class 7 Categorical Exemption CDFW finds the Project to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15307 the exemption for “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources”. Class 7, as relevant here, consists actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. The Project falls within the class because it involves restoration and enhancement of stream habitat for LCT and other aquatic wildlife on a designated ecological reserve. Class 8 Categorical Exemption CDFW finds the Project to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15308, the exemption for “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment”. Class 8, as relevant here, consists of actions taken by regulatory agencies, as authorized by state or local ordinance, to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. The Project falls within the class because it involves actions by CDFW for the protection and restoration of wildlife habitat on a designated ecological reserve, with the goal of reversing anthropogenic environmental degradation and reducing the potential for high severity wildfire impacts. Class 33 Categorical Exemption CDFW finds the Project to be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15333 the exemption for “Small Habitat Restoration Projects” Class 33, as relevant here, consists of projects not to exceed five acres in size to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of habitat for fish, plants, or wildlife. The Project falls within the class because the Project area consists of no more than 1 mile of linear road improvements and 1.3 miles of linear stream habitat restoration (will not exceed five acres) and will assure restoration, enhancement, and protection of Lahontan cutthroat trout and surrounding habitat with no significant adverse impact on listed species or the environment. There are no hazardous materials at or around the project site that may be disturbed or removed. Culvert replacement will be conducted in accordance with published guidelines of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, with the primary purpose of improving habitat and reducing sedimentation.