Powerhouse Vegetation and Sawmill-Liebre Reforestation Projects
Project Specifications
Client: National Forest Foundation, Angeles National Forest
Location: Los Angeles County
Services: Environmental Review & Permitting, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources
Under contract to the National Forest Foundation, Aspen served as an extension to U.S. Forest Service staff to complete the associated field surveys, technical reports, and NEPA documentation for two proposed vegetation treatment projects in the Angeles National Forest. The Powerhouse Vegetation and Fuel Treatment Project would include vegetation treatments across approximately 2,000 acres to remove excessive fuel loads and improve forest health in areas concentrated along the ridgetops of the Sawmill and Liebre Mountains. The Sawmill-Liebre Reforestation Project would plant conifers and oaks on 266 acres impacted by recent fires in the Sawmill and Liebre Mountains.
The U.S. Forest Service determined that these vegetation treatment projects were categorically excluded under NEPA, and that an environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment (EA) were not necessary. To support these determinations, Aspen conducted field surveys, mapped sensitive resources, and prepared the following specialist reports:
Powerhouse Vegetation Fire and Fuels Report. This report summarized the results of fire behavior modeling with varying fuels and fire parameters. The fire model (i.e., FlamMap) was utilized to test the effectiveness of the proposed project at reducing fire risk and spread.
Sawmill-Liebre Reforestation Prescription. This report evaluated the proposed reforestation activities and identified future fuel treatments to increase the probability of treatment persistence on the landscape following planting.
Biological Assessment/Biological Evaluation and Invasive Weeds Risk Assessment. This report (1) evaluated impacts to species that are on the Regional Forester’s Sensitive species list; (2) assessed impacts to federally-listed threatened, endangered, proposed, and candidate plant and animal species; and (3) assessed the risk of invasive weeds resulting from proposed activities.
Heritage Resources Technical Report. This report evaluated impacts to heritage resources within the Areas of Potential Effect that were identified for the two proposed vegetation treatment projects.
Hydrological Resources Technical Report. This report evaluated impacts to hydrological resources, including the long-term effect on the watershed, soils, and hydrology.
Using the results of the technical reports as documentation, Aspen assisted the Forest Service with preparing a Decision Memo for each of the two projects. These Decision Memos summarized the findings of the technical reports, and determined that the actions were categorically excluded under NEPA and that preparation of an EIS or EA was not necessary.
Extensive coordination with the Forest Service was required throughout the contract. The Aspen team participated in four interdisciplinary team meetings with Forest Service specialists, and continued to stay in close communication with their Forest Service counterparts throughout the project.