California’s fish and wildlife depend upon the quality and quantity of habitat including lands, waters and other environmental factors necessary for survival. CDFW’s Environmental Review and Permitting Programs implement sections of the California Fish and Game Code, California Code of Regulations and other statutes and regulations. These Programs help fulfill CDFW’s mission to manage California’s diverse fish, wildlife and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public. Cutting the Green Tape On this page Programs Mitigation Lands EPIMS Other Environmental Review Agencies Programs California Endangered Species Act The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) authorizes CDFW to permit project proponents to take state-listed threatened, endangered or candidate species if certain conditions are met. The CESA Program administers the incidental take provisions of CESA, including Incidental Take Permits, Consistency Determinations and Safe Harbor Agreements to ensure regulatory compliance and statewide consistency. California Environmental Quality Act Review The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires public agencies to disclose and mitigate environmental impacts of discretionary projects they approve. Most often, CDFW acts as a Trustee and/or Responsible Agency and provides the requisite biological expertise to review and comment upon CEQA environmental documents prepared by another Lead Agency. CDFW may also act as Lead Agency. Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act Approvals The Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Act (HREA) established a process for CDFW to approve small-scale, voluntary habitat restoration projects that meet specific eligibility requirements. Projects approved by CDFW, pursuant to HREA, will not require additional permits from CDFW, such as an LSA agreement or CESA permit. Lake and Streambed Alteration Review Fish and Game Code Section 1602 requires any entity to notify CDFW before beginning any activity that may substantially divert or obstruct the natural flow of, or substantially change or use any material from the bed, channel, or bank of any river, stream, or lake. If CDFW determines that the activity may substantially adversely affect fish and wildlife resources, an Lake and Streambed Alteration (LSA) Agreement will be prepared. Suction Dredge Permits The use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment, otherwise known as suction dredging, is currently prohibited and unlawful throughout California. Under existing state law, CDFW is currently prohibited from issuing any permits for suction dredging in California under the Fish and Game Code. Timberland Conservation Forest practices on private timberlands in California are overseen by multiple state agencies to address the variety of potential impacts timber operations have on the environment. CDFW often issues permits for building roads across streams and for water drafting from streams and lakes. Occasionally, CDFW issues incidental take permits when timber operations impact threatened and endangered species. Western Joshua Tree Conservation The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (WJTCA) is landmark legislation passed in July 2023 that establishes new permitting systems to authorize both incidental take of western Joshua tree and the trimming and removal of live and dead western Joshua trees, creates a fund to acquire high quality western Joshua tree habitat, and directs CDFW to develop a conservation plan with input from governmental agencies, California Native American tribes, and the public. EPIMS CDFW's Environmental Permit Information Management System (EPIMS) Mitigation Lands Advance Mitigation Conservation and Mitigation Banking Entity Due Diligence for Mitigation Lands Mitigation Credit Agreements Mitigation Real Property Document Analysis Other Agencies with Environmental Review Responsibilities U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Marine Fisheries Service California Office of Historic Preservation California Coastal Commission State Water Resources Control Board Regional Water Quality Control Boards California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection