On November 19, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, the Services) released four proposed rules that would comprehensively revise key federal...more
11/24/2025
/ Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) ,
Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Section 7 ,
Trump Administration ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
California law requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to create, promulgate, and update every five years the California Water Plan (Plan). The Plan is intended to provide a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable...more
10/29/2025
/ California ,
Climate Change ,
Conservation ,
Environmental Justice ,
Groundwater ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Public Comment ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Water ,
Water Resources Control Board
On October 11, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1319 into law. AB 1319 creates a swift, state-level response mechanism if Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA) protections are decreased for species native to...more
10/14/2025
/ California ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
CEQA ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Incidental Take Permits ,
New Legislation ,
Permits ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
At its October 8, 2025, meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) granted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) a six-month extension to complete its status review of the March 5, 2024,...more
10/9/2025
/ California ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
ESA Listings ,
Permits ,
Petition for Rulemaking ,
Public Comment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Department of Fish and Wildlife ,
Status Reports ,
Statutory Deadlines ,
Time Extensions
At its August 13-14 meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission (the Commission) unanimously determined that a petition to list the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) (QCB) as endangered throughout its...more
California stands at a pivotal juncture in 2025, confronting an array of environmental and housing challenges. As usual, the California State Legislature is considering numerous strategies to address these issues. This year’s...more
6/24/2025
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
Affordable Housing ,
California ,
California Coastal Commission ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
CEQA ,
Citizen Suits ,
Clean Energy ,
Demolition ,
Density Bonus ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Housing Developers ,
Housing Market ,
Impact Fees ,
Natural Disasters ,
Natural Resources ,
New Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Sackett v EPA ,
Water Conservation ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands ,
Wildfires
On October 10, 2024, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) unanimously voted to designate the western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) as a candidate species under the California Endangered Species...more
6/19/2025
/ California ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
California Fish and Game Commission ,
CEQA ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Land Developers ,
Permits ,
Real Estate Development ,
Risk Management
On December 10, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed to list the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). A proposed critical habitat designation...more
As California prepares for future cycles of water scarcity, the Legislature continues to prioritize enhancing regulations to address critical water supply needs, secure the rights of diverse water holders, and protect...more
On June 27, 2024, the California First District Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of a writ petition challenging the City of Lafayette’s (City) determination that a 12-unit residential condominium building qualified for the...more
As detailed in our previous Legal Alert, six conservation groups filed a petition with the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) on March 5, 2024 to request the implementation of legal protections for five...more
On May 3, 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW or Department) published a Notice of Proposed Action (Proposed Rule) to update its regulations for Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreements (LSAAs). As...more
On March 5, 2024, six conservation groups filed a petition with the California Fish and Game Commission (the Commission) to request the implementation of legal protections for five populations of the western burrowing owl...more
Two laws enacted in 2023 as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s infrastructure streamlining package are intended to facilitate development of certain energy, water resources, transportation, semiconductor manufacturing, and other...more
November was an eventful month for the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued two decisions last month—which will apply to cases and matters in California and other states within the Ninth...more