Judge sets April deadline for California spotted owl status

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue a final listing determination for the California spotted owl by April 30, 2027. The ruling, issued Nov. 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Eumi K. Lee, resolves a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, which sought to compel the agency to finalize protections for the species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had requested a deadline of May 10, 2028, citing budget constraints and a heavy workload that included 76 other species. Department of Justice attorney Lucas O’Brien argued that the agency’s delays were the result of existing court-ordered deadlines that prevented the completion of other listing actions.

The agency originally proposed listing the Coastal-Southern California population segment as endangered and the Sierra Nevada segment as threatened in February 2023. Under the Endangered Species Act, the final determination was required by February 2024, a deadline the agency failed to meet.

In her 16-page ruling, Judge Lee rejected the agency's proposed 2028 timeline. She noted that while the agency faces significant resource challenges, the court-ordered deadline of April 30, 2027, provides approximately six months for the agency to review 50 public comments and complete internal approvals. The Fish and Wildlife Service has not yet stated whether it will meet this new deadline or seek an extension.