The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may soon protect two species of mussels under the Endangered Species Act.
Western and Ouachita fanshell mussels numbers have been lost or severely reduced in multiple rivers and streams due to "dams, pollution from mining, agriculture, logging and urbanization and alteration of river channels for flood control," according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
The proposed change from earlier this week was in response to a 2010 petition from the center, which is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting endangered species and wild places.
“Protecting these unique mussels will help us take better care of the rivers they need to survive, which benefits us all,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the center, via a news release.