Trump administration pushing to hand parcel of Yosemite land to private developer - report

Key Points:

• The Trump administration is reportedly considering transferring a quarter-mile parcel of land inside Yosemite National Park to Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a Nevada-based private developer that owns adjacent undeveloped land.
• Kingsbarn’s CEO aims to build a short road connecting their land to a central Yosemite route, as current access requires a lengthy detour, but this plan has faced opposition from park staff and California lawmakers.
• Interior Department officials have proposed a land exchange involving equally valuable land elsewhere in California, but the proposal has caused internal tensions and sparked criticism from environmental advocates and National Park Service supporters.
• The Interior Department denies any political pressure or secret efforts to hand over park land to private developers, emphasizing that no final decisions have been made and that any proposals would undergo environmental review and public notification.
• California senators and Congressman Jared Huffman have voiced strong opposition, warning against privatizing public lands and pledging to fight any attempts to develop or sell off parts of Yosemite.