Two freshwater mussels proposed for federal protection in Arkansa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana

ST. LOUIS— In response to a 2010 petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed recently to protect the western and Ouachita fanshell mussels under the Endangered Species Act. The Service also plans to designate 654 miles of protected critical habitat in Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri for the two species. “Protecting these unique mussels will help…