In October of 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released new biological opinions (BiOps) analyzing the operation of the Federal Central Valley project (CVP) and the California State Water Project (SWP). Following the release of the BiOps, there were numerous inaccurate characterizations of the opinions. To address this misinformation, CFWC published the linked informational piece, “Myths vs. Facts: 2019 Biological Opinions for Long Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project“.

The new fact sheet helps clarify four areas where incorrect information has been circulated in public: the use of best available science, protections for species under the Endangered Species Act, how the new BiOps go farther to protect imperiled species, and the process by which the BiOps underwent peer review and approval.

Developing rules that are designed to protect California’s natural resources requires an open and transparent process. The Biological Opinion fact sheet includes a list of FWS and NMFS independent experts that reviewed them prior to their approval, ensuring that the final product will provide the species protections expected under the ESA.

View or download the fact sheet at: https://bit.ly/2QFxkOp