Map Shows Yosemite Property at Center of Trump Land Deal
Supporters say the deal follows federal law, but critics fear it could open national parks to future development.
A proposed land exchange near Yosemite National Park is under scrutiny due to concerns that the Trump administration might allow a private developer to build a road through federal park land. The deal would provide access to Kingsbarn Realty Capital's 83-acre Hazel Green property, located outside the park's western boundary, via a short roadway connected to the existing park network.
Lanny J. Davis, counsel to Kingsbarn Realty Capital, stated that the project is for an access road under a half mile, and the land exchange mechanism is legal under federal law. The plan has drawn opposition from environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers, who argue it sets a troubling precedent for private development adjacent to public lands.
The Department of the Interior, overseeing the National Park Service, denied any political pressure to reach a predetermined outcome, stating that any potential agreement would be subject to all applicable federal laws, regulations, and Departmental policies, including required environmental review and public notification processes.
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