Obama suspends Bush's endangered species rule

President Barack Obama restored a requirement that federal officials must consult with wildlife experts before launching construction projects that might harm plants or animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The memorandum, signed on March 3, overrides a December 2008 ruling by the Bush administration that allowed federal agencies alone to determine if the projects would threaten endangered species.

Obama announced the change during a 160th anniversary celebration for the Interior Department, where he told employees it would “restore the scientific process to its rightful place at the heart of the Endangered Species Act,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

The memorandum does not technically overturn the Bush rule, but it does instruct agencies to consult with experts until the Interior and Commerce departments can reconsider the Bush rule change.

Obama’s decision could add "red tape" to infrastructure projects funded by the economic stimulus bill, industry groups said.

"This directive throws the brakes on projects," William L. Kovacs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's vice president of environment, technology and regulatory affairs, told the Los Angeles Times.