The Bush administration is planning to relax regulations covering endangered species before President-elect Obama can reverse them.

The regulations must be published Friday to take effect before Obama is sworn in Jan. 20. Otherwise, he can undo them with the stroke of a pen.

The Interior Department rushed to complete the rules in three months, over the objections of lawmakers and environmentalists.

The rules eliminate the input of federal wildlife scientists in some endangered species reviews.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)