(Note: No matter what USFWS says, this is the Wildlands Project being implemented, piecemeal, mosaic-fashion. You darned well better BET that it WILL impact private landowners/homeowners/economics! This is a Control Project upon humans; mussels are only the stalking horse 'poster species.')

June 13, 2003

By Morgan Simmons

Scripps Howard News Service

Contact Morgan Simmons of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at http://www.knoxnews.com

To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@knews.com

Environmentalists and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are at odds over the agency's proposal to designate critical habitat for five federally listed mussels.

While service officials question the need for the critical-habitat designation, environmentalists say they're convinced the additional layer of protection is necessary for the mussels to mount a recovery.

Under the critical-habitat provision of the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies, or agencies that use federal funds, are required to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before taking actions that could destroy or adversely impact habitats that are key to the survival of endangered species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed that approximately 892 river miles be designated critical habitat for five freshwater mussel species -- Cumberland elktoe, oyster mussel, Cumberlandian combshell, purple bean and rough rabbitsfoot -- in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia.

A critical habitat designation does not establish a refuge or preserve and has no impact on private landowner activities that do not involve federal funding or permits.

Most activities such as recreation boating, swimming and existing commercial boat traffic are not impacted by the action.

In 1997 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the five freshwater mussels as endangered. At that time the service declined to designate critical habitat, claiming the designation would be of no known benefit to the mussels, and would in fact jeopardize the mussels by making their location known to the public.

In October 2000 the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project successfully sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in federal court to obtain critical habitat designation for the five mussel species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act.

Rob Tawes, biologist with a Tennessee field office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the endangered mussels already are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and that the main benefit of the critical habitat designation might simply be public education.

"It could provide ... benefits by bringing attention to the plight of these species, but it also stands to alienate landowners whose participation and cooperation we need," Tawes said.

According to the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, habitat loss is the primary threat to 85 percent of all endangered species.

Marty Bergoffen, campaign coordinator for the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, said the purpose of critical-habitat areas is to help endangered species recover, not just stay one step ahead of extinction.

"We've seen reports that show that species with critical-habitat areas are less likely to be declining, and twice as likely to be recovering, than those without," Bergoffen said.

In recent decades mussel populations throughout the Southeast have been hit hard by dam building and water pollution. As filter feeders, mussels are especially sensitive to changes in water quality.

http://www.thesunlink.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=HABITAT-06-13-03&cat=AS