Peer Review of Scientific Information:
Enhancing Quality and Credibility
In order to ensure 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 by Year: 2016
- Four Everglades Plants Peer Review Plan
- Pearl darter Proposed Listing Peer Review Plan
- Louisiana pinesnake Proposed Listing Peer Review Plan
- Black Warrior waterdog Proposed Listing and Proposed Critical Habitat Peer Review Plan
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2015
- Peer Review Plan for the Miami tiger beetle
- Peer Review Plan for Florida semaphore cactus and Aboriginal prickly-apple
- Peer Review Plan for the Black Pinesnake
- Peer Review: Zappalorti (both listing and critical habitat* rule comments provided with the proposed listing rule docket)
- Peer Review - Baxley (same comments provided on both rule dockets*)
- Peer Review - Steen: (Listing comments)
- Peer Review - Steen: (Critical habitat* comments)
- Peer Review - Lee
- Peer Review - Duran
- Peer Review - Rudolph
- Final Listing Rule
- *Final Critical Habitat has not yet published.
- Peer Review Plan for the Elfin-woods warbler
- Peer Review Letters for the Proposed Rule:
- Peer Review: Salguero
- Peer Review: Delannoy
- Peer Review: Cano
- Peer Review: Wunderle
- Peer Review Plan for the Kentucky arrow darter
- Peer Review Plan for the Suwannee moccasinshell
- Peer Review Plan for the White fringeless orchid
- Peer Review Plan for 4 Florida Keys plants (Big Pine Partridge Pea, Wedge Spurge, Sand Flax, and Blodgett's Silverbush)
Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum ssp. floridanum)
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2014
Proposed Listings and Critical Habitat
Proposed Endangered Species Status
Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum ssp. floridanum)
- Peer review - A. Jenkins
- Peer review - V. Pence
- Peer review - J. Snyder
- Peer review - B. Holst
- Peer review - S. Zona
Threatened Species Status and Critical Habitat Designation
Georgia rockcress (Arabis georgiana)
Endangered Species Status and Critical Habitat Designation
Short's bladderpod (Physaria globosa), Whorled sunflower (Helianthus verticillatus), and Fleshy-fruit gladecress (Leavenworthia crassa)
Endangered Species Status and Critical Habitat Designation
Florida brickell-bush (Brickellia mosieri) and Carter’s small-flowered flax (Linum carteri var. carter)
- Final listing rule
- Final Critical Habitat rule (not yet published)
Endangered/Threatened Species Status and Critical Habitat Designation
Agave eggersiana and Gonocalyx concolor as Endangered and Varronia rupicola as Threatened
Endangered Species Status (with corrections) and Critical Habitat Designation
Florida leafwing (Anaea troglodyta floridalis) and Bartram's scrub-hairstreak (Strymon acis bartrami)
Designation of Critical Habitat
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment (DPS)
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2013
Final Listing Rule
Endangered Status for the Neosho Mucket and Threatened Status for the Rabbitsfoot
Proposed Listings and Critical Habitat
Proposed Critical Habitat Designation
Peer Review Plan Northwest Atlantic Ocean DPS of the Loggerhead Sea turtle;
- Peer Review NWA Ocean DPS Loggerhead - Mansfield
- Peer Review NWA Ocean DPS Loggerhead - Meylan
- Peer Review NWA Ocean DPS Loggerhead - Shamblin
Proposed rules to list and designate critical habitat
Proposed listing of the Florida Leafwing and Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak Butterflies
Peer Review plan Florida Leafwing and Bartram’s Scrub-Hairstreak Butterflies
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - Caldas
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - Calhoun
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - Jue
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - Sadle
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - Schultz
- Peer Review FLB and BSHB - R. Worth
Proposed listing of:
Proposed rules to list:
Brickellia mosieri and Linum carteri var. carteri as endangered and to designate critical habitat.
Proposed Endangered Species Status for:
Proposed Threatened Status for:
the Georgia rockcress (Arabis Georgiana)
- Peer Review - Mincy Moffett
- Peer Review - Al Schotz
- Peer Review - Kevin Burguess
- Peer Review - Malcom Hodges
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2012
Proposed Listings and Critical Habitat
Proposed Listing and Designation of Critical Habitat for Neosho Mucket and Rabbitsfoot
Proposed Listing and Designation of Critical Habitat for the Spring Pygmy Sunfish
Proposed rule to list the Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) as endangered
Proposed rule listing of two Cumberlandian mussel species and designation of their critical habitat
- Peer review comments received-listing
- Peer review comments received-critical habitat
- Final Listing Rule (contains summary of peer reivew comments):
- Final document-critical habitat (contains summary of peer reivew comments):
- Final Listing Rule (contains summary of peer reivew comments):
- Final critical habitat rule (contains summary of peer reivew comments on pages 63796-63798):
Proposed Delistings
Magazine mountain shagreen - June 18, 2012
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2011
Proposed Listings and Critical Habitat
Coqui llanero (Eleutherodactylus juanariveroi)
Cumberland darter (Etheostoma susanae)
rush darter (Etheostoma phytophilum)
yellowcheek darter (Etheostoma moorei)
chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus)
laurel dace (Chrosomus saylori)
Final Rules:
- Final Listing Rule (contains summary of peer reivew comments on page 48730):
- Final Critical Habitat Rule (contains summary of peer reivew comments on page 63607):
Mississippi Gopher Frog (Rana sevosa)
Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri)
Document also includes:
cassius blue butterfly (Leptotes cassius theonus)
ceraunus blue butterfly (Hemiargus ceraunus antibubastus)
nickerbean blue butterfly (Cyclargus ammon)
5-Year Reviews
See webpage
Peer Review Agenda by Year: 2010
Proposed Listings and Critical Habitat
Vermilion darter (Etheostoma chermocki)
5-Year Reviews
See webpage
Injurious Wildlife Evaluation
Species included:
Indian or Burmese Python (Python molurus)
Reticulated Python (Broghammerus reticulatus or Python reticulatus)
Northern African Python (Python sebae)
Southern African Python (Python natalensis)
Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
DeSchauensee’s Anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei)
Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
Beni Anaconda (Eunectes beniensis)