Fish and Wildlife Service

Peer Review of Scientific Information

Enhancing the Quality and Credibility of Information

In order to improve the quality and credibility of the scientific information we use to make regulatory decisions, the Fish and Wildlife Service has implemented a formal "peer review" process for influential scientific documents.

While we have always consulted experts to ensure that our decisions are based on sound science, through this peer review process we follow the guidelines for Federal agencies spelled out in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review," (PDF, 263 KB) released December 16, 2004.

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.

Peer Review Agenda

We have identified the following documents as meeting the OMB criteria of peer review for influential scientific information. Click on a title to get more information about that document and the peer review process we have set up for it. This list will be updated as necessary.

Posting Date	Draft Document Title
Northern Long-eared Bat	Peer Review Plan for the Listing Decision for the Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) 2-page PDF
April 30, 2012	Proposed Listing for Grotto Sculpin and Designation of Critical Habitat (PDF) Proposed Listing for Poweshiek Skipperling and Dakota Skipper and Designation of Critical Habitat (PDF)
August 20, 2009	Proposal to Delist the Lake Erie Watersnake (PDF) Proposal to Designate Critical Habitat for the Tumbling Creek Cavesnail (PDF)
July 17, 2009	12-month petition finding under the Endangered Species Act for the coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
July 16, 2008	Proposal to list the Ozark hellbender, Proposal to list the rayed bean and snuffbox, Proposal to list the sheepnose and spectaclecase.
August 14, 2006	12-Month Petition Finding under the Endangered Species Act for the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea)
December 16, 2005	Proposed Designation of the Western Great Lakes Population of Gray Wolves as a Distinct Population Segment and Proposed Delisting of that Distinct Population Segment
March 28, 2006	Copperbelly watersnake draft recovery plan
March 28, 2006	Indiana bat draft revised recovery plan
March 28, 2006	Proposed designation of critical habitat for the Hine's emerald dragonfly
March 28, 2006	Post-delisting monitoring plan for the bald eagle
August 11, 2006	Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of Gray Wolves