Proposed protections for whopper crayfish could tighten regulations on Central Appalachian coal and timber projects - Entrepreneur Generations

With adults that top 7 inches, the Big Sandy Crayfish is one of
 the largest crayfish species in Ky. (US Fish & Wildlife photo)

"A threatened species of crayfish could receive new protections under a proposal submitted Tuesday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that might lead to new regulations on coal mining, logging and other development in Eastern Kentucky," Will Wright reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Under the proposal, 362 miles of waterways in Appalachian areas of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia would be designated as "critical habitat" for the Big Sandy Crayfish, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2016, Wright reports. The proposal also seeks protections for the endangered Guyandotte River Crayfish, native to southern West Virginia. The proposal notes that critical habitat designations are granted to areas that are essential to the conservation of threatened and endangered species that may need extra protections.

It's no accident that the move could restrict some industrial activity, since the proposal names coal mining, timber harvesting and natural gas drilling as some of the species' biggest threats. "A spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the agency has already been working with coal companies to address the conservation of both species," Wright reports. "The public can submit official comments through March 30."

The proposal was spurred by a 2018 lawsuit against Fish and Wildlife by the left-leaning Center for Biological Diversity, an organization that often sues the federal government over proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. The organization alleged that Fish and Wildlife hadn't designated critical habitats for the crayfish within the timeline required by the Endangered Species Act.

Zack Crouch, the at-risk species biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, said granting the crayfish extra protections wouldn't prevent development, but would require developers who receive federal funding or permits to consult with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to ensure that their actions won't harm the species' habitat, Wright reports. 

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2O8OFgO Proposed protections for whopper crayfish could tighten regulations on Central Appalachian coal and timber projects - Entrepreneur Generations

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