Trump Administration Considers Yosemite Land Swap for Private Developer Access
The Trump administration is evaluating a land exchange proposal involving Yosemite National Park and Kingsbarn Realty Capital, which owns an 83-acre property near the park. The developer seeks to build a new access road under one mile long by potentially acquiring part of the national park or an interest in it, while offering equivalent land elsewhere in California for transfer back to the park service. The Interior Department has not yet made a final decision and emphasized that any proposal would undergo required environmental reviews and public notification. Conservation groups like the Sierra Club and National Parks Conservation Association strongly oppose the plan, calling it unlawful and an attack on national conservation values. A prior court had rejected similar road development claims by the property's former owner. Kingsbarn’s CEO has made recent political donations to Trump’s campaign committee, though there is no evidence these contributions have influenced the proposal review.
Topics: environmental impact Kingsbarn Realty Capital land exchange proposal Yosemite National Park