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Listing of Species Under the California Endangered Species Act
The criteria and process for listing species as candidate, threatened or endangered are outlined in the
California Endangered Species Act (CESA) (Fish and Game Code Sections 2050, et seq.) and
Section 670.1, Title 14, California Code of Regulations (CCR).
The following represents a basic minimum timeline from receipt of a petition to the effective date of the listing/uplisting/downlisting/delisting of the species as threatened or endangered.
Day 1: The petition to list, uplist, downlist or delist a species is received in the Commission office and is reviewed by Commission staff for the presence or absence of the required information.
Day 10: An incomplete petition will be returned to the petitioner within 10 days. An accepted petition will be referred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) within 10 days and a notice of receipt of the accepted petition will be published in the California Regulatory Notice Register (Notice Register) and mailed to interested and affected parties.
Day 100: The Department will evaluate the petition according to the criteria listed subsection 670.1(d)(1), Title 14, CCR, and will provide its evaluation report to the Commission within 90 days of receiving the petition from Commission staff; the Department may request a 30-day extension.
Day 130: The Commission will take action on the petition at its next available meeting after the Department's evaluation report has been available to the public for at least 30 days. At the meeting, the Commission will make a finding on whether the petition contains sufficient scientific information to indicate that the petitioned action may be warranted. If the Commission finds there is not sufficient scientific information to indicate that the petitioned action may be warranted, the process ends. If the Commission finds there is sufficient scientific information to indicate that the petitioned action may be warranted, the Commission will designate the species as a candidate species (Section 2068, Fish and Game Code).
Day 146: If the Commission designates the species as a candidate species, a notice of the Commission's findings will be published in the Notice Register and mailed to interested and affected parties.
Day 511: Within 12 months of the date of publication of the "candidacy" notice, the Department will prepare and submit a status review report to the Commission. The Department may request a 6-month extension of the due date for the status review report.
Day 541: The Commission will receive the Department's status review report at a regularly-scheduled Commission meeting.
Day 601: Final consideration of the petition will be scheduled for the next regularly-scheduled Commission meeting after receiving the status review report. The Commission will make a finding of whether the petitioned action is warranted. Adoption of the Commission's findings will be scheduled for a future meeting. If the Commission finds that the petitioned action is not warranted, the process ends and the species will be removed from the list of candidate species. If the Commission finds that the petitioned action is warranted, the species will be added to the list of threatened and endangered species in Section 670.2 (plants) or Section 670.5 (animals) through a regulation change.
Day 617: The notice of findings will be mailed to interested and affected parties and the regulation change filed with the California Office of Administrative Law, which has up to 30 business days to review the regulation change.
Day 659: Regulation filed with the California Secretary of State and becomes effective.
Petitions, Notices and Documents
Milo Baker's Lupine
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2020-1229-03 Petition to uplist Milo Baker's Lupine (Lupinus milo-bakeri) from Threatened to Endangered
Quino Checkerspot Butterfly
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2020-0713-04 Petition to list Quino Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) as Endangered
Mohave (aka Agassiz's) Desert Tortoise
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2020-0421-02 Petition to change the status of Agassiz's Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) from Threatened to Endangered
Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2020-0203-02 Petition to list Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) as an Endangered Species
Clara Hunt's Milkvetch
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2020-0114-01 Petition to uplist Clara Hunt's Milkvetch (Astragalus claranus) from Threatened to Endangered
Western Joshua Tree
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2019-1112-01 Petition to list Western Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) as a Threatened Species
Shasta Snow-wreath
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2019-1112-02 and Z2020-0421-03 Petition to list Shasta Snow-wreath (Neviusia cliftonii) as an Endangered Species
Mountain Lion
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2019-0716-03 and Z2020-0421-01 Petition to List Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) as a Threatened or Endangered Species
San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2019-0402-06 and Z2019-0813-07 Petition to List the San Bernardino Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus) as an Endangered Species
Bumble Bees
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2018-1030-03 and Z2019-0618-07 Petition to List the Crotch bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini), Suckley cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi), and western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis occidentalis) as an Endangered Species
Northern California Summer Steelhead
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2018-1016-06 and Z2019-0618-08 Petition to List the Northern California Summer Steelhead as an Endangered Species
Upper Klamath-Trinity River Spring Chinook Salmon
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2018-0807-05 Petition to List the Upper Klamath-Trinity River Spring Chinook Salmon as an Endangered Species
Cascades Frog
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2017-0321-04 and Z2017-1017-10 Petition to List the Cascades Frog as a Threatened or Endangered Species
Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2017-0109-03 Petition to List the Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog as an Endangered Species
Lassics Lupine
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2016-0802-11, Z2017-0214-02 and Z2018-0904-03 Petition to List the Lassics Lupine as an Endangered Species
Notice of Receipt of Petition (PDF) - August 2, 2016
Petition (PDF) - July 15, 2016
Department Evaluation Report (PDF) - November 2016
Notice of Findings: Lassics lupine declared a candidate species (PDF) - February 14, 2017
Department's Status Review Report (PDF) - January 2018
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - April 3, 2018
Notice of Findings - Listing as Endangered is Warranted (PDF)
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.2, Title 14, CCR, Add Coast Yellow Leptosiphon and Lassics Lupine to the List of Plants of California Declared to be Endangered, Threatened, or Rare Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #2018-0821-04 Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0212-02S
Notice of Proposed Changes in Regulations (PDF) - August 21, 2018
Initial Statement of Reasons (PDF) - August 15, 2018
Proposed Regulatory Language (PDF) - August 15, 2018
Economic and Fiscal Impact Statement (PDF) - April 26, 2018
Notice: Adoption hearing rescheduled to October 17, 2018
- Adoption Date: October 17, 2018
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 12, 2019
Final Statement of Reasons (PDF) - January 16, 2019
Approved Regulatory Language (PDF) - effective April 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: February 26, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: April 1, 2019
Coast Yellow Leptosiphon
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2016-0531-04, Z2016-1213-07, and Z2018-0904-04 Petition to List the Coast Yellow Leptosiphon as an Endangered Species
Notice of Receipt of Petition (PDF) - May 31, 2016
Petition (PDF) - May 25, 2016
Department Evaluation Report (PDF) - September 2016
Notice of Findings: Coast Yellow Leptosiphon declared a candidate species (PDF) - December 13, 2016
Department's Status Review Report (PDF) - December 2017
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - April 3, 2018
Notice of Findings - Listing as Endangered is Warranted (PDF)
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.2, Title 14, CCR, Add Coast Yellow Leptosiphon and Lassics Lupine to the List of Plants of California Declared to be Endangered, Threatened, or Rare Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #2018-0821-04 Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0212-02S
Notice of Proposed Changes in Regulations (PDF) - August 21, 2018
Initial Statement of Reasons (PDF) - August 15, 2018
Proposed Regulatory Language (PDF) - August 15, 2018
Economic and Fiscal Impact Statement (PDF) - April 26, 2018
Notice: Adoption hearing rescheduled to October 17, 2018
- Adoption Date: October 17, 2018
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 12, 2019
Final Statement of Reasons (PDF) - January 16, 2019
Approved Regulatory Language (PDF) - effective April 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: February 26, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: April 1, 2019
Humboldt Marten
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2015-0714-07, Z2016-0216-14, Z2018-0807-06, and Z2019-0114-03 Petition to List the Humboldt Marten as an Endangered Species
Notice of Receipt of Petition (PDF) - July 14, 2015
Petition (PDF) - June 1, 2015
Department Evaluation of Petition (PDF) - November 11, 2015
Notice of Findings: Humboldt marten declared a candidate species (PDF) - February 16, 2016
Status Review (PDF) - June 2018
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - August 17, 2018
Notice of Findings - Listing as Endangered is Warranted (PDF) - January 2019
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.5, Title 14, CCR - Add Humboldt marten to the list of endangered species; add fisher (southern Sierra Nevada ESU), northern spotted owl, and tricolored blackbird to the list of threatened species Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #n/a Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0201-02P
Regulatory Language (PDF) - February 1, 2019
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: March 18, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: March 18, 2019
Tricolored Blackbird (2015 Petition)
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2015-0825-10, Z2015-1228-02 and Z2018-0904-01 Petition to List the Tricolored Blackbird as an Endangered Species
Notice of Receipt of Petition (PDF) - August 25, 2015
Petition (PDF) - August 19, 2015
Department Evaluation of Petition (PDF) - October 2, 2015
Notice of Findings: Tricolored Blackbird Declared a Candidate Species (PDF) - December 28, 2015
Department's Status Review Report (PDF) - February 2018
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - April 3, 2018
Notice of Findings - Listing as Threatened is Warranted (PDF)
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.5, Title 14, CCR - Add Humboldt marten to the list of endangered species; add fisher (southern Sierra Nevada ESU), northern spotted owl, and tricolored blackbird to the list of threatened species Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #n/a Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0201-02P
Regulatory Language (PDF) - February 1, 2019
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision: pending
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: March 18, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: March 18, 2019
Northern Spotted Owl
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2012-0924-01, Z2013-1217-03, Z2016-0517-13, Z2016-0802-11, and Z2017-0627-07 Petition to List the Northern Spotted Owl as a Threatened or Endangered Species
Notice of Receipt of Petition (PDF) - September 20, 2012
Petition (PDF) - September 4, 2012
Department Evaluation of Petition (PDF) - February 2013
Errata and Correction of Evaluation Report (PDF) - April 2013
Notice of Findings - Listing the Northern Spotted Owl May Be Warranted (PDF) - December 11, 2013
Department Status Review Report (PDF) - February 10, 2016
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - May 17, 2016
2nd Notice of Final Consideration of Petition (PDF) - August 12, 2016
Notice of Findings: Listing the northern spotted owl as a threatened species is warranted (PDF) - June 27, 2017
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.5, Title 14, CCR - Add Humboldt marten to the list of endangered species; add fisher (southern Sierra Nevada ESU), northern spotted owl, and tricolored blackbird to the list of threatened species Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #n/a Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0201-02P
Regulatory Language (PDF) - February 1, 2019
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: March 18, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: March 18, 2019
Fisher (formerly Pacific fisher)
Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #Z2009-0210-08, Z2009-0414--09, Z2010-0316-04, Z2010-0921-03, Z2013-0311-01, and Z2016-0420-05 Petition to List the Pacific Fisher as an Endangered Species
Petition (PDF) - January 2008
Notice of Reconsideration of Petition to List the Pacific Fisher as a Threatened or Endangered Species - February 10, 2009
DRAFT Notice of Findings for Consideration at Commission's April 8, 2009 meeting
Notice of Findings - Pacific Fisher Declared a Candidate for Listing as Threatened or Endangered - April 14, 2009
Notice of Final Consideration of Petition to List the Pacific Fisher as a Threatened or Endangered Species - March 16, 2010
Notice of Findings - Listing of Pacific Fisher as a Threatened or Endangered Species is Not Warranted - September 21, 2010
Notice of Findings - September 2010 Decision Set Aside; Pacific Fisher a Candidate for Listing as Threatened or Endangered (PDF) - March 11, 2013
Department Status Review Report (PDF) - June 10, 2015
Notice of Findings - Listing the Southern Sierra Nevada ESU as Threatened is Warranted; Listing of the Northern California ESU is Not Warranted (PDF) - April 20, 2016
- Rulemaking Documents: Amend Section 670.5, Title 14, CCR - Add Humboldt marten to the list of endangered species; add fisher (southern Sierra Nevada ESU), northern spotted owl, and tricolored blackbird to the list of threatened species Office of Administrative Law's Notice ID #n/a Office of Administrative Law's File ID #2019-0201-02P
Regulatory Language (PDF) - February 1, 2019
- Date Filed with the Office of Administrative Law: February 1, 2019
- Office of Administrative Law's decision:
Approved (PDF)
- Date filed with the Secretary of State: March 18, 2019
- Effective Date of Regulation: March 18, 2019