Comments due on mussel habitats

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The government is looking for additional public comment on a proposal to protect freshwater mussel habitats in Ohio and 11 other states.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has re-opened the public comment period until Monday. The old deadline was June 10.

The government has listed the Neosho mucket mussel as endangered and the rabbitsfoot mussel as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The agency has proposed designating critical habitats for the mussels in 43 areas encompassing 2,138 river miles of stream channels.

The process is aimed at estimating the cost of protecting the mussel habitats.