WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- The Bush administration cleared the way Thursday for federal agencies to skip consultations with government scientists when embarking on projects that could impact endangered wildlife , the interior secretary said . Environmentalists are not happy with President Bush 's changes to regulations of the Endangered Species Act . The final regulations to the Endangered Species Act take effect before President Bush leaves office in January , but wildlife conservation groups say undoing the damage could take months . `` The responsibility to initiate consultation will still lie with the federal agency undertaking the action , '' Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said , but if the agency in question can satisfy the requirement that no harm will come to an endangered species , then there is no need to consult with either the U.S . Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Services . The determination of `` no harm '' will rest with agency bureaucrats instead of scientists , but the agencies can still seek the input of the scientists on a voluntary basis , Kempthorne said . Developers and agencies with large projects have long sought a weakening of Endangered Species Act regulations , which they say delay their projects and add to costs . Environmental groups contend that this change will take scientists and biologists who have protected endangered species completely out of the mix , leaving wildlife more vulnerable and harder to protect . They also say that more than 250,000 citizens voiced their opposition to the measure through the Web site regulations.gov . `` The Department of Interior is ignoring the vast majority of the over 200,000 comments they got on this rule change-by moving forward . They are basically saying public be damned , '' said Andrew Wetzler , Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council 's Endangered Species program . The NRDC maintains that `` absent court action , undoing this ruling could take months ... despite today 's feel-good statements , we remain convinced that these changes are illegal . '' The National Wildlife Federation , also voicing strong opposition , said that `` in the eleventh hour of his presidency , President Bush has rammed through a sweeping overhaul of the Endangered Species Act . This action eviscerates key protections that have helped safeguard and recover endangered fish , wildlife and plants for the past 35 years . ' But Chris Paolino , a spokesman for the Interior Department , said that the change is an `` attempt to refocus the resources , time and manpower of both the U.S . Fish and Wildlife Federation and National Marine Fisheries to focus on those projects that have a measurable , adverse impact on endangered species . '' President-elect Barack Obama has said he would work to reverse the changes , but since they go into effect before he takes office , his administration would have to reopen the rulemaking process . Congress could also act to block the new regulations .
Bush administration changes regulations of Endangered Species Act . Federal agencies wo n't need to seek scientists ' advice on projects impacting wildlife . Environmental groups say changes could leave wildlife more vulnerable .