RFFCP (RFFCP2022) Tribal Capacity Building Program – Modoc RCD in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community (SNC1744-RFFCP)
Summary
SCH Number
2026081150
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
RFFCP (RFFCP2022) Tribal Capacity Building Program – Modoc RCD in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community (SNC1744-RFFCP)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/31/2026
Document Description
Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) would award grant agreement #1744-RFFCP (RFFCP2022) Tribal Capacity Building Program – Modoc RCD in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community. This fuels reduction project is led by the Modoc Resource Conservation District in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community, a federally recognized tribe. The project will reduce hazardous fuels surrounding the Fort Bidwell Electrical Substation, a critical piece of infrastructure to the Fort Bidwell Reservation. The area of hazardous fuels reduction is approximately 27 acres, of which 16 acres is Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation land (tribal land, Bureau of Indian Affairs), the remaining 11 acres is non-tribal, privately owned land. Potential specific treatments vary; on the tribal land only hand crews will be used to reduce the hazardous fuels through removal and thinning of encroaching junipers and underbrush through the lop and scatter technique and by building small 4’x4 piles. On private lands, mechanical thinning activities will be allowed in addition to hand thinning techniques.
Contact Information
Name
Andy Fristensky
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
Field Operations & Grants Division Chief
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Lani Cockrell
Agency Name
Modoc Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Fort Bidwell Indian Community, near Cedarville
Counties
Modoc
Regions
Northern California
Total Acres
27
Township
46N
Range
16E
Other Location Info
27 acres around the Fort Bidwell Electrical Substation. Along Surprise Valley Rd, Modoc County, CA; T46N, R16E, NW¼ of NW¼ of Section 20
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 the funding for Modoc Count Resource Conservation District in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to conduct hazardous fuel-reduction treatments on Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation Federal Trust Lands. The 16 acres of the project was reviewed in its entirety under NEPA by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the TR-4618 P5 J52 Fort Bidwell Substation Fuel Treatment signed on July 17, 2026. Additionally, the 11 acres of treatment the project on private land consists of minor vegetation alterations through forestry treatments to reduce hazardous fuels and protect critical infrastructure with no significant impacts on resources, it qualifies for the categorical exemption under Cal. Code Regs. Title 14 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land. The Modoc RCD filed a Notice of Exemption with the Modoc County Clerk declaring determination on November 14, 2025. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy has independently evaluated the project, agrees with Modoc RCD and is filing for the complete project including both private and trust lands.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs. Title 14 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
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 the funding for Modoc Count Resource Conservation District in partnership with the Fort Bidwell Indian Community and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to conduct hazardous fuel-reduction treatments on Fort Bidwell Indian Reservation Federal Trust Lands. The 16 acres of the project was reviewed in its entirety under NEPA by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the TR-4618 P5 J52 Fort Bidwell Substation Fuel Treatment signed on July 17, 2026. Additionally, the 11 acres of treatment the project on private land consists of minor vegetation alterations through forestry treatments to reduce hazardous fuels and protect critical infrastructure with no significant impacts on resources, it qualifies for the categorical exemption under Cal. Code Regs. Title 14 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land. The Modoc RCD filed a Notice of Exemption with the Modoc County Clerk declaring determination on November 14, 2025. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy has independently evaluated the project, agrees with Modoc RCD and is filing for the complete project including both private and trust lands.
County Clerk
Modoc
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.