Washington ? The Bush administration is quietly reshaping environmental policy to expand logging and other development by settling a series of lawsuits, many of them filed by industry groups.

As a result of settlements, the administration has announced plans to remove wilderness protections for millions of acres in Utah, has agreed to review protections for endangered species such as salmon and the northern spotted owl, has reversed a Clinton-era ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks and has softened rules on logging.

None of the decisions were subject to prior public comment or congressional approval.

“I don’t know if it’s a policy, but it’s definitely a pattern,” said Kristen Boyles, a lawyer for the environmental group Earthjustice who has frequently battled the Bush administration in court.

“The industry sues and then the current administration does a poor job of defending itself or comes to a sweetheart settlement,” Boyles said.

Critics call it “sue and settle,” leaving few fingerprints as officials move to roll back environmental protections.

Last month, several environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit claiming the administration and the timber industry have been holding secret talks to undermine the Northwest Forest Plan. The suit seeks access to settlement documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

Mark Rey, the Agriculture undersecretary who directs forest policy, denies any attempt to orchestrate legal challenges.

“No litigation is friendly,” he said.

But critics suggest the administration is using the lawsuit settlements as an end-run around Congress.