The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) states that all native species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, invertebrates, and plants, and their habitats, threatened with extinction and those experiencing a significant decline which, if not halted, would lead to a threatened or endangered designation, will be protected or preserved. The Department will work with all interested persons, agencies and organizations to protect and preserve such sensitive resources and their habitats.

However, CESA also allows for take incidental to otherwise lawful development projects. CESA emphasizes early consultation to avoid potential impacts to rare, endangered, and threatened species and to develop appropriate mitigation planning to offset project caused losses of listed species populations and their essential habitats.

• The Basis in Law and Policy for Incidental Take of Listed Species Under CESA
• Application Prodedures for Incidental Take Permits (Title 14, Section 783.2)
• 2081 (b) and (c) Incidental Take Permit Process
• 2080.1 Consistency determinations
• CESA Coordination and Compliance for Department Projects
• Other Incidental Take Provisions
• Other Protections and CESA Procedures