In an effort to block lawsuits seeking to restore the boundaries of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT-2) has introduced a bill to create a fake national park. The misleadingly named “Grand Staircase Escalante Enhancement Act” would formalize the downsized monument boundaries and put commissioners from Garfield and Kane counties in charge of management. Hunting and grazing would take priority over conservation, and areas formerly protected by National Monument status would be immediately re-opened to drilling and mining. The Hole in the Rock Road would be given to the State of Utah to be paved. Even the National Parks Conservation Association opposes this hideous proposal, and they love national parks.
National Parks Conservation Association: npca.org