A federal agency says a proposed cement plant and quarry in coastal North Carolina wetlands could harm rare plant, animal and aquatic species, and should be built elsewhere.

The Star-News of Wilmington reported Wednesday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the operation is being proposed in an ecologically unique area that might be irreplaceable.

Titan American LLC subsidiary Carolinas Cement Co. also wants to mine more than 600 acres of wetlands with a stone quarry on the Northeast Cape Fear River and Island Creek.

Federal regulators are considering the company’s request for building permits. The company said the site is an ideal place for raw materials and will meet the area’s demand for cement.