Babbitt: Grand Staircase NM "poorly executed" but a good idea.

Bruce Babbitt recently told the SLTrib (ahead of his book tour visit to SLC) that the Grand Staircase NM was a good idea but was poorly executed. Really? You may recall that the National Monument was signed in by President Clinton one morning on a nice desk strategically placed in front of the Grand Canyon (in Arizona) to create the new monument in Utah. Meanwhile, in Escalante Utah which suddenly found itself inside a hugh National Monument and it wasn't clear what that meant, President Clinton was burned in effigy (which is disrespectful and rude, but man, that's a tough spot to be in)

Lack of public input aside, I think the president ought to at least visit a place at least once before he declares it an area of unusual value or beauty. I've actually been in and through alot of monument before and after the declaration and I'll tell you why it was a success. It was a success because nothing has changed--except there's some "Welcome to Grand Staircase NM" signs next to the road and I think there's a new visitor's center.