Houseboaters on Lake Powell who ignored laws and regulations concerning how human waste is to be handled have forced the closing of a small area of land because it has been polluted with feces, according to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials.

National Park Service officials have settled on an off-road management plan for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area that, if adopted, would carry adverse impacts for soils, vegetation, and paleontological and archaeological resources and lead to increased safety issues for visitors.

Bears Ears, a 1.35-million-acre rugged redrock landscape rich in Native American history and lore, was declared a national monument Wednesday by President Obama, whose action via the Antiquities Act quickly infuriated Utah's politicians. The wide swath of land covered by the designation includes much of land long desired by conservationists to provide the "completion" of Canyonlands National Park.

As Lake Powell continues to drop in elevation due to poor snow years, the National Park Service and state of Utah are proposing to extend a ferry ramp at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area so motorists can benefit from a "shortcut" between Bullfrog and Halls Crossing. Without the ferry service, which takes roughly 25 minutes to move between the two marinas, motorists would be looking at a two-and-a-half-hour drive.