Proposed Endangered Species Status

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access :

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), proposes to list the Georgia pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema hanleyianum), interrupted rocksnail (Leptoxis foremani), and rough hornsnail (Pleurocera foremani), as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Georgia pigtoe, interrupted rocksnail, and rough hornsnail are endemic to the Coosa River drainage within the Mobile River Basin of Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. These three species have disappeared from large portions of their natural ranges due to extensive construction of dams that eliminated or reduced water currents and caused changes in habitat and water quality. The surviving populations are small, localized, and highly vulnerable to water quality and habitat deterioration.

USFWS is also proposing to designate critical habitat concurrently for the Georgia pigtoe, interrupted rocksnail, and rough hornsnail under the Act. In total, approximately 258 kilometers (km) (160 miles (mi)) of stream and river channels fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for the three species: 153 km (95 mi) for the Georgia pigtoe, 101 km (63 mi) for the interrupted rocksnail, and 27.4 km (17 mi) for the rough hornsnail. The proposed
critical habitat is located in Cherokee, Clay, Coosa, Elmore, and Shelby Counties, Alabama; Gordon, Floyd, Murray, and Whitfield Counties, Georgia; and Bradley and Polk Counties, Tennessee.

These proposals, if made final, would implement Federal protection provided by the Act.

USFWS will accept comments received on or before August 28, 2009.

Read the entire announcement via the Federal Register.