Rare Mussel Alters River Dredging

A part of the Allegheny River was declared off-limits to dredgers today because a rare type of mussel was discovered. The Department of Environmental Protection amended the permit of Hanson Aggregates, prohibiting the company from dredging within South Buffalo and Gilpin townships in Armstrong County because two live salamander mussels were discovered there. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is considering adding the salamander mussel to the state threatened or endangered species list. If this doesn't happen, Hanson can appeal the dredging restriction. Dredgers have been removing sand and gravel from the Allegheny and Ohio rivers for more than a century, but have drawn increasing criticism from environmentalists in recent years over concerns about their impact on fish and mussel habitat.