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February 13, 2026

Program Contact(s):
Kelley Barker, WJTRegulations@wildlife.ca.gov

Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act Fee Regulations Change- Public Meeting Recording Available

On Thursday, January 29, 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) held a public meeting to share information about CDFW's regulatory update to mitigation fees outlined in the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Fish and Game Code section 1927.8(b) requires CDFW to adjust the fees by December 31, 2026, and every three years thereafter, as necessary to ensure the conservation of western Joshua tree.

During the meeting, CDFW presented the approach to the regulation change, requested feedback from the public, and accepted oral comments. A recording of the presentation portion of this public meeting is now available.

CDFW is requesting initial comments on the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act fee regulations change through the end of February. In particular, CDFW is seeking feedback on the elements of the regulation change, as outlined in the public meeting presentation. Please submit written comments to WJTRegulations@wildlife.ca.gov before March 1^st for this first phase of the regulation package process. There will be additional opportunities to provide written and oral comments later this year when CDFW releases the Initial Statement of Reasons which will describe the proposed regulation package and fee adjustment in more detail.

Western Joshua Tree Video Recordings: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Environmental-Review/WJT/Watch

Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodation to participate in public meetings or other CDFW activities are invited to contact CDFW's Accessibility Coordinator in the CRO Office at (916) 902-5577, or send an email to CivilRights@wildlife.ca.gov. Reasonable Accommodation requests for facility and/or meeting accessibility should be received at least 21 days prior to the event. Requests for American Sign Language Interpreters should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event, and requests for Real-Time Captioning at least four weeks prior to the event. These timeframes are to help ensure that the requested accommodation is met. If a request for an accommodation has been submitted but due to circumstances is no longer needed, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator immediately.