Federal agency would protect coalfields habitat for crayfish

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A federal agency has proposed designating habitat areas for two protected crayfish species in the coalfields of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. The proposal announced Monday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would protect 362 stream miles for the Big Sandy crayfish and 83 miles for the Guyandotte River crayfish. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Guyandotte River crayfish is now only found in two streams in Wyoming County, West Virginia. The Big Sandy crayfish is found in the upper Big Sandy watershed. An environmental group says coal mining operations have harmed the crayfish.