Photo by the Center for Biological Diversity

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed an Endangered Species Act listing petition today for a staggeringly tragic 404 southeastern aquatic, riparian, and wetland species. Of the 404, mountaintop removal coal mining is specifically responsible for threatening 30.

According to the CBD, over 28 percent of southeastern fishes, more than 48 percent of our crayfishes, and beyond 70 percent of our mussels are in danger of extinction. It will take at least two and a half years for a species to be listed, so, thankfully, this petition is getting the ball rolling on the process.

Check out this CBD webpage for access to their 1,000 page petition, an interactive map containing state by state listings of threatened species, and a threatened species slide show.