Covington Big Hill Fuel Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2026090003
Public Agency
Tuolumne County
Document Title
Covington Big Hill Fuel Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/1/2026
Document Description
The proposed project, which will be carried out by American Forest Foundation, will reduce hazardous fuel loading and create a shaded fuel break condition on portions of 6 private parcels along Covington Mine, Columbia Crest, and North Bald Mountain Roads. The project area is approximately 65 acres in size. The project area ranges in elevation from approximately 2,900 to 3,200 feet above sea level. The objective of the project is to reduce hazardous fuel loading to create or restore shaded fuel break conditions to areas that were treated 10 to 20 years ago on portions of these 6 private parcels. These parcels are strategically located in a Very High fire hazard zone and will restore safe ingress and egress for residents on North Bald Mountain, Covington Mine, and Columbia Crest Roads, and protection of die Yankee (fill communications towers. Vegetation at die site would best be described as Oak Woodland; however, there is a significant amount of ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar and a few Douglas-fir in die overstory. Overstory tree species consist primarily of canyon live oak, interior live oak. California black oak, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, and a few Douglas fir. Much of the project area has been treated in the past and the understory consists primarily of live oak, black oak, manzanita, chamise, poison oak and toyon sprouts ranging from two to ten feet in height Surface and ladder fuels will be reduced or modified by mastication, chipping, or by hand cutting with chipping or pile burning. Masticationmay be conducted by a variety of track laying type tractors. Hand work for chipping, as well as lopping and scattering will be conducted by hand crews using chainsaws and other hand tools. Trees up to 12-inches in diameter at breast height (dbh), surface fuels and ladder fuels will be treated to achieve a target residual tree spacing of 25 to 35-feet between crowns. Residual trees will be pruned to a height of approximately 8 to 10-feet above ground level. Dead trees of any size may be felled and chipped, piled, or masticated. Masticated or chipped material will be left on site. The reduction in vegetation will restore or create a shaded fuel break condition that will minimize fire behavior and create a stand structure that is resistant to stand replacing fires.
Contact Information
Name
Lindsay Mattos
Agency Name
American Forest Foundation
Job Title
District Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Frank T. Lewicki
Agency Name
Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
District Forester
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Sonora
Counties
Tuolumne
Regions
Northern California
Zip
95370
Total Acres
65
Township
T2N
Range
R15E
Section
17-20
Base
MDBM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4, 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
This project fits under 15304- Minor Alterations to Land. The project will consist of removing surface and ladder fuels to maintain an existing fuel break. The project is located in an urban interface area. The project will maintain or create an open stand condition. The project will not involve the removal of mature or scenic trees. Stand health will be improved by removing dead, dying, and suppressed trees and brush, and increasing growing space for mature, healthy dominant and c-dominant trees. Sensitive species will not be impacted by proposed project. The project was designed to avoid adverse impacts to watercourses. Mastication and chipping will leave a layer of organic material that will provide excellent erosion control. The project is also designed to reduce hazardous fuel loading in a strategic area around the greater Big Hill, Columbia, and North Bald Mountain Road areas, and will make Tuolumne County more resilient regarding wildfires.
Field review by TCRCD staff confirmed that no exceptions apply that would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. TCRCD has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities and service systems, or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Tuolumne County Resource Conservation District, 81 N. Washington Street, Sonora, CA 95370.
County Clerk
Tuolumne
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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