Swamp: As I reported exclusively in the Los Angeles Times this morning, President Obama is set to instruct federal agencies to once again consult with endangered-species experts before moving ahead with construction projects, overruling a last-minute rule change by the Bush administration.
Obama will issue the decision in a presidential memorandum, effectively bypassing the lengthy public comment process traditionally required for changing a rule. Business groups are protesting, saying the change will hamper critical road-building and other projects needed to jump-start the economy.
"It's almost certainly going to slow down all of these projects, even the stimulus-backed projects," said Ross Eisenberg, an environment and energy counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "What we're getting is more red tape."
We can grow our economy and preserve wildlife. Imagine that.
