In order to ensure the quality and credibility of the scientific information we disseminate to the public, the Fish and Wildlife Service has implemented a formal "peer review" process for influential and highly influential scientific documents.

More information on this subject is available at the Service's Information Quality web site. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget has published government-wide guidance to ensure the practice of peer review of government science documents.

Part of the peer review process is to provide information on the Web about how each peer review is to be conducted, as described in this checklist.

On January 31, 2006, the Southwest Region developed a set of Peer Review Guidelines (.pdf, 1.5Mb) that will be employed in the implementation of the Office Of Management and Budget's guidelines for peer review.

Peer Review Agenda
We have identified the following Southwest Region documents as meeting the OMB criteria for peer review of influential or highly influential scientific information. Click on a title to get more information about that document and the peer review process we have planned for it. This list will be updated as necessary.

For more information, contact: Michelle Shaughnessy, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services (505) 248-6920