The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) is a California environmental law that conserves and protects plant and animal species at risk of extinction.

Signed into law in 1970 by then-Governor Ronald Reagan, CEQA requires state and local agencies to consider the environmental effects of the projects under their discretion.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is tasked with ensuring that human alteration of the state’s lakes and streams will not harm fish and wildlife. This authority is granted by California Fish and Game Code Section 1600 and is carried through their Lake and Streambed Alteration Program.