White House ends review of habitat plans for 4 endangered mussels

A proposal to designate thousands of river miles as critical habitat for native mussels exited White House review Wednesday.

The four endangered mussel species — the rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox, and spectaclecase — have habitats that stretch across the eastern, southern and midwestern United States.

The proposal to designate critical habitat totals nearly 4,000 river miles in 17 states.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed its review of the Fish and Wildlife Service proposal two months after FWS sent the proposed rule.