Tahoe receives approval of first two fuels reduction projects under Governor Newsom’s fast-tracking
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Two Tahoe Basin fuels reduction projects have undergone review and approval through Governor Gavin Newsom’s fast tracking process and are set to start late summer to early fall. One approval is an almost 200-acre project located near Carnelian Bay, called the Vedanta Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, and the other is a 43-acre project near the Tahoe Keys, called the Tahoe Keys Large Acreage project.
In the case of the Tahoe Keys project, the fast tracking process has saved one year. Without the process, it wouldn’t have started until fall of next year. This project ranked high on the priority list for the California Tahoe Conservancy, and its partners, the City of South Lake Tahoe, USDA Forest Service, and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, due to its location near a heavily populated residential area. It’s a factor that added to its fitness for the Governor’s fast-tracking process.
The process came about after Governor Newsom issued an emergency proclamation on March 1 that resulted in the suspension of certain California state statutory and regulatory requirements on eligible projects with the goal of expediting critical fuels reduction projects.
Although it is too soon to assess the full benefits for the Tahoe Basin, Annabelle Monti, Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) program manager, is optimistic the fast tracking will prove a meaningful addition to the broader toolkit.
“As a collaborative of agencies and organizations working to protect the Lake Tahoe Basin,” Monti says, “TFFT recognizes the urgency behind this effort and sees the proclamation as a potentially valuable tool, particularly for the right types of projects in the right settings.”
Monti explains, when applied intentionally, this pathway could help move priority projects forward that have already undergone environmental analysis but are delayed due to permitting or process constraints.
Initial feedback has been positive, especially for straightforward, non-controversial projects where the streamlined process has helped projects reach implementation more quickly.
Both the Tahoe Keys and Vedanta projects were ideal candidates for fast tracking, meeting eligibility requirements. One of those requirements outlines a list of qualifying objectives, such as removal of hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees, vegetation removal for strategic fire breaks or community defensible space, just to name a few. Projects must meet at least one of these objectives. Further, qualified professionals, like registered professional foresters or burn bosses, must perform or supervise the work and the fast-tracking must be requested within the 2025 calendar year.
The California Tahoe Conservancy chose the Tahoe Keys project due to its alignment with these qualifying factors and for its relatively compact size, making it a good candidate for a first attempt at navigating the new approval process under the emergency declaration. The project had also already been through many development steps, including biological habitat assessment, sensitive species review, field reconnaissance and preparation.
The Conservancy anticipates to request fast-tracking for its larger, 500-600 acre project at its Dollar Property on the north shore. Similar to the Tahoe Keys project, the Dollar Property is adjacent to highly populated residential neighborhoods and is already through many development steps.
While the Vedanta project, which is a Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) led project, was similarly aligned, the fast-tracking did not drastically speed up the timeline. Had the TRCD instead proceeded through the standard CEQA process, utilizing a Notice of Exemption (NOE), implementation would have started around the same time.
It’s part of the reason why the TRCD does not plan on pursuing additional projects through the Governor’s fast-tracking process. “While the framework is well-suited for larger landscape-scale or commercial forestry operations, our projects tend to be smaller in footprint and community-based,” David Murray says, TRCD Forester/Forestry Program Specialist, “In these cases, the CEQA NOE process remains a clear and streamlined path to compliance.”
The Governor’s proclamation seeks to expedite the confrontation to severe risk of catastrophic wildfires across the state, but not at the cost of public health and the environment. Another eligibility requirement is following best management practices and measures in the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP). Both the Vedanta and Tahoe Keys had already undergone development steps demonstrating environmental compliance.
“While the process does suspend certain statutes, it still requires that environmental safeguards are met — and those expectations are clearly outlined in the EPP. As an RPF (registered professional forester),” Murray expresses, “I view the EPP as a robust guide that reinforces best practices.”
TFFT finds that the usefulness of the fast-tracking program will ultimately depend on project-specific factors, including location, scope, and implementing agency, but can be an asset to help navigate regulatory bottlenecks and complement long-term strategic planning or the collaborative, science-based approach of wildfire resilience in the Tahoe Basin.
However, TFFT says it is essential that partners maintain alignment on how to uphold environmental integrity, public trust, and operational transparency.
As the fast-tracking gains momentum, TFFT will continue to assess where and how the tool can be most effectively deployed in support of making the Tahoe Basin more resilient to wildfire.
Across the state, 26 projects have been approved through the fast-tracking process and four are already underway.
