I can't tell you how upset I am that hikers have to step over cow poop on their once a year excursion into the great outdoors. I'm sure that the ranchers with grazing permits who will now be forced out of business are also very sympathetic. Some of these ranchers, by the way, are 5th-generation families who have been stewards of these lands for many years.
And you approve of this?? With of single stroke of King William's pen families are out of business, local towns will be negatively affected and they had absolutely no input, no say at all in how this would affect their livelihoods. Please spare me the argument that local communities will benefit from increased tourism...that is a myth perpetrated by the greenies.
I am glad rustbucket that you can now recreate in peace and don't have to "shoo" those nasty cows out of your way, that must have been very tough on you.
Before you write a response I would ask you to just imagine if your livelyhood, the way you make a living, were eliminated by decree by one person, without going through NEPA, without consultation with the people affected, just how would you feel??
I hike more than once a year and backpack in Grand Staircase-Escalante and other places. And yes I say keep the cows off the hiking trails. You probably have cow pies in your front yard and aren't offended by them. My sympathies.
Some group was willing to pay more than the ranchers for the grazing rights. That's free enterprise. Are you against free enterprise? Raising cows on the public land doesn't seem to be the most economic use of the land according to what people are willing to pay.