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Categorical exclusion · example

Top Road Fuel Break

Builds a fuel break of about 370 contiguous acres along roads and existing fire break, using thinning, pruning, mastication and prescribed burning to cut wildfire risk to the Top Road and Monument Firewise communities.2

Facts from USDA Forest Service public records, each linked by number to its source; checked November 13, 2026. Section notes by ePlan.

At a glance

Where
Heppner Ranger District, Umatilla National Forest, Grant County, Oregon; along the boundary with BLM and Top Road Firewise Community private land, crossing County Road 670.1
Size
About 370 contiguous acres2
Lead agency
USDA Forest Service, Umatilla National Forest, Heppner Ranger District (District Ranger decides)2
Review
Categorical exclusion, documented in a decision memo1
Legal citation
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021), Public Law 117-58, section 40806; CE category 32.3(11)2
Status
Completed; decision signed June 10, 20251

Timeline

  1. Scoping Start1
  2. Decision signed1
  3. Implementation (estimated)1

Documents USDA Forest Service published

What the documents say

Top Road-Categorical Exclusion Review Form and Signed Decision

Project Information
Heppner Ranger District project proposed 9/20/2023, signed by the District Ranger, on 370 acres of management area C-3 in the Lower Big Wall Creek and Cupper Canyon watersheds.2
Applicable Categories
Cites the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allowing fuelbreaks up to 3000 acres and 1000 feet wide next to existing linear features such as roads.2
Purpose and Need: Why do we need to act?
Creates a fuel break along the southern boundary with private land to lower flame lengths and crown fire, and improve public egress and firefighter safety.2
Proposed Action: What are we proposing to do?
Upland-only work: non-commercial understory thinning, pruning and prescribed fire; 0 acres commercial and 380 acres noncommercial thinning; no extraordinary circumstances found.2
Design Criteria
Measures cover heritage sites with 100 foot buffers, sensitive plant protection, fuel loading limits, juniper and conifer cutting rules, and nest protections within 500 feet.2

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More examples

Fuel break plan · All Forest Service projects

Sources

  1. Top Road Fuel Break (CE): Forest Service project pagefs.usda.gov
  2. Top Road-Categorical Exclusion Review Form and Signed Decisionusfs-public.app.box.com