Ensuring the Quality and Credibility of Information

The Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to using sound science in its decision-making and to providing the American public with information of the highest quality possible. Visit our peer-review page for more on what we're doing to ensure the quality and credibility of scientific information we distribute.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is using data standards to increase the quality and compatibility of its data. This approach will increase opportunities to share data and reduce incidents of redundant data development. Visit our data standards page for more. This web page also includes links to the formal process for establishing data standards and to the definitions of terms used in the data standards.

Federal agencies are required to publish guidelines for ensuring the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information we use and disseminate, and to provide mechanisms for allowing the public to seek correction of that information.

This web site is intended to meet those requirements. In addition to our information quality guidelines and those of the Department of the Interior, we also present here our responses to inquiries concerning the quality of information on specific topics.

Please note: in order to view the "pdf" files below, you may need to install Adobe Reader, available free of charge from the Adobe web site.

Section 515 of Public Law 106-554 (the Information Quality Act)

Department of the Interior's Information Quality Guidelines (pdf)

Fish and Wildlife Service Information Quality Guidelines (pdf) These guidelines have been updated as of June, 2012.

Following are links to your information quality questions, and our responses, on a number of topics. Dates refer to when correspondence began.

FY2011 (October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2011)

No new requests for correction received in FY 2011, however FWS completed the FWS response to request listed below.

• Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program Environmental Impact Statement
  • Request for Correction of Information (part one of two)
  • Request for Correction of Information (part two of two)
  • FWS Acknowledgement of Receipt of Request
  • FWS response to request

FY2010 (October 1, 2009 – September 30, 2010)

• Sage Grouse Final Determination
  • Request for Correction of Information
  • Fish and Wildlife Service Response to Sage Grouse Coalition
  • Sage Grouse Coalition Information Quality Act Appeal
  • Fish and Wildlife Service response to appeal
• Fish Hatchery and Stocking Program Environmental Impact Statement
  • Request for Correction of Information (part one of two)
  • Request for Correction of Information (part two of two)
  • FWS Acknowledgement of Receipt of Request
  • FWS response to request

FY2009 (October 1, 2008 – September 30, 2009)

• Central Valley Project and State Water Project
• Cover letter
• Attachment One: Request for Correction of Information
• Attachment Two: Effects of the Proposed Action (pages 1-40)
• Attachment Two: Effects of the Proposed Action (pages 41-80)
• Attachment 3: Office of Management and Budget Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies
  • This document is also available in a smaller, screen-reader friendly version
• Attachment 4: Office of Management and Budget Memorandum, "Issuance of OMB's 'Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review'"
  • This document is also available in a smaller, screen-reader friendly version
• Attachment 5: Detailed Request List
• FWS Response
• Family Farm Alliance Appeal
  • Appeal Appendix A
  • Appeal Appendix B
  • Appeal Appendix C
  • Appeal Appendix D
• FWS Response to Appeal
  • Response cover letter
  • Response
  • Indepent Expert Panel Review Report
  • Addendum to Report
    
• Sage Grouse
  • May 28, 2009 Request for Correction of Information in Final Determination
    • FWS response to May 28 request
  • August 6, 2009 Request for Correction of Information in Final Determination
  • October 26, 2009 Service Response

FY2007 (October 1, 2006 – September 30, 2007)

• Black carp
  • Cover letter
  • "Request for Correction of Information"
  • FWS response cover letter
• FWS response

FY2006 (October 1, 2005 – September 30, 2006)

• Information Quality Guideline 2006 Annual Report.pdf
• Prebles Meadow Jumping Mouse
  • Prebles Meadow response, September 12, 2007 (pdf)
  • Response appeal
    • Cover letter
    • Formal appeal
    • Appendix A
    • Appendix B
    • Appendix C
    • Appendix D
    • Appendix E
    • Appendix F
    • Appendix G
  • Service response to appeal (pdf)

FY2005 (October 1, 2004 – September 30, 2005)