A Utah congressman wants to create a national park out of lands from the existing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument/Metate Arch in the monument, John Fowler photo via Wikipedia. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Imagine a national park where you can hunt and trap the wildlife, where livestock grazing is not just permitted but also "enhanced," and a presidentially appointed management council tells the National Park Service how to run the park.

That is the vision some Utah politicians, who succeeded last week in getting President Trump to announce sweeping changes to the landscapes of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, have for running national parks.

U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, who represents the second congressional district in Utah that includes most of the western half of the state as well as the counties in which Grand Staircase-Escalante touches, has introduced legislation that would create a national park out of some of the lands President Trump wants to lop off of the existing 1.9-million-acre national monument created by President Clinton in 1996.

“With their deep narrow canyons, high plateaus, sheer cliffs, incredible vistas, and vibrant colors, the Escalante Canyons are a crown jewel in the state,” Rep. Stewart said in announcing his legislation. “Escalante Canyons National Park is a win-win for those wanting conservation and access. It’s a win-win for those who want to share the beauty of this state but also to preserve the local culture that is so important to our communities. Additionally, this bill gives locals a stronger voice in how their backyard is managed.”

The legislation, which the House Natural Resources Committee has scheduled a hearing for on Thursday, also would provide the legislative vehicle to create the additional, smaller, national monuments the president called for during an appearance in Salt Lake City last week.

Along with allowing hunting, trapping, and grazing within the proposed Escalante Canyons National Park, Mr. Stewart's bill calls for a management council comprised of one Interior Department representative and five individuals appointed by the president in consultation with Utah's congressional delegation and governor. This council, according to the legislation, "shall develop and implement comprehensive management plans" for the park and the Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and Escalante Canyons national monuments President Trump called for.

"The Management Council shall allow hunting, fishing and trapping on lands and water under the jurisdiction of the (Interior) Secretary within the Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Utah. The Management Council shall ensure that the privilege of grazing domestic livestock on lands with the Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve shall continue to be exercised and enhanced in perpetuity," the bill states.

Additionally, the legislation would give the state of Utah control over wildlife management in the park and monuments, including how to deal with predators.

While there are "national preserves" in the National Park System, such Big Thicket National Preserve or preserves attached to parks, such as Denali National Park and Preserve, that allow hunting, Mr. Stewart's legislation appears to permit hunting throughout his proposed national park. Grazing is not typically allowed across the park system, although it is allowed in a handful of units.