Proposed Revised Timber Waiver

Notice of Intent to Consider Certification of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Adoption of the proposed Timber Waiver

The Water Board received ten comment letters on the proposed Timber Waiver and Mitigated Negative Declaration at the end of the comment period on May 8, 2009.

  • Randy Moore, Regional Forester, USFS-Region 5
  • Terri Marceron, Forest Supervisor, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
  • Tom Quinn, Forest Supervisor, Tahoe National Forest
  • Brad Henderson, Habitat Conservation Supervisor, California Department of Fish and Game
  • Crawford Tuttle, CAL FIRE-Chief Deputy Director
  • Tina M. Carlsen, PhD., Natural Resources Program Manager, California Tahoe Conservancy
  • Marcelino Gonzalez, Local Development Review, California Department of Transportation
  • Jennifer Quashnick, Tahoe Area Sierra Club; Carl Young, League to Save Lake Tahoe; Michael Graf, Sierra Forest Legacy
  • Thomas Esgate, Managing Director, Lassen County Fire Safe Council, Inc.
  • Mark Shaffer, President and Registered Professional Forester (RPF), Evergreen Resource Management

The Water Board is scheduled to consider certification of the Mitigated Negative Declaration and adoption of the Timber Waiver its Regular Meeting at 8:30am on May 14, 2009 in the Aspen and Board Rooms of the Lake Tahoe Community College, One College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, California.

  1. Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Waste Discharges Resulting from Timber Harvest and Vegetation Management Activities in the Lahontan Region, "Timber Waiver" Proposed Revised Timber Waiver w/Attachments
  2. Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Proposed Revised Timber Waiver Mitigated Negative Declaration and Initial Study w/Attachments. Attachments contain a comparison of notification, monitoring and reporting requirements between the 2007 Timber Waiver and the proposed revised Timber Waiver, comment letters received during the 30 day public review in January/February 2009, and response to comments.

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Water Board staff has prepared an Initial Study to determine whether the project may have a significant effect on the environment. Through the Initial Study, Water Board staff has determined there is no substantial evidence that such an effect may occur; therefore, the Water Board proposes to certify a Mitigated Negative Declaration for this project.

If you have questions or comments, or to request a copy of the above documents, please email Andrea Stanley or phone 530 542-5406

Project Description

The Water Board is proposing to waive the need to submit Reports of Waste Discharge and obtain Waste Discharge Requirements for discharges, or threatened discharges, of wastes including earthen materials (i.e., soil, silt, sand, clay, and rock), organic materials (i.e., slash, sawdust, and bark), and silvicultural herbicides, resulting from timber harvest and vegetation management activities in the Lahontan Region which meet the eligibility criteria and comply with the conditions and general provisions set forth in the proposed revised Timber Waiver. The revised Timber Waiver identifies six categories of activities described by eligibility criteria for each category. To be eligible for the 2009 Timber Waiver, persons must comply with specific criteria and conditions set forth to ensure that impacts to water quality remain at less than significant levels.

Project Location

The project location is the jurisdictional area of the Lahontan Water Board, which all or parts of Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. The project area represents approximately 33,130 square miles of land, and may contain sites listed under section 65962.5 of the Government Code including, but not limited to, hazardous waste facilities, land designated as hazardous waste property, and hazardous waste disposal sites.

Public Outreach

The Water Board began soliciting comments on this project July 2008 at a scoping workshop. In November 2008, the Water Board released a working draft to the public and held workshops throughout the Lahontan Region. In January 2009, the Water Board released a tentative revised Timber Waiver and Initial Study for a thirty day public review. Twelve comment letters were received. The Water Board staff met with persons submitting comments and made changes to the Timber Waiver.