{
  "id": 4121185,
  "title": "Trump government mulls deal to give away part of Yosemite park to a private developer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/trump-government-mulls-deal-to-give-away-part-of-yosemite-park-to-a",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-29T06:07:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
    "slug": "the-hindu-sci-tech",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/trump-government-mulls-deal-to-give-away-part-of-yosemite-park-to-a-private-developer/article71403666.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The administration of President Donald Trump is contemplating the possibility of ceding a portion of the iconic Yosemite National Park to a private enterprise, according to a lawyer representing the concerned company. Kingsbarn Realty Capital, based in Nevada, is in discussions with the National Park Service (NPS) to construct an access road from a 83-acre property, located just outside the park, to the park's entrance in exchange for land elsewhere. This proposal was initially reported by NOTUS and sparked widespread dismay among environmental advocates and Democrats who oppose the administration's efforts to weaken public land protections.\n\nLawyer Lanny Davis, who described himself as a progressive Democrat, argued that the access road would be more environmentally friendly than the existing, more convoluted route, as it would reduce emissions. The new route would be safer and generate significantly lower vehicle emissions. Davis emphasized that the land exchange proposal, which involves providing Yosemite National Park with a parcel of land elsewhere, is permitted under federal law and will not reduce the park's size. The Interior Department had previously acknowledged negotiations but denied claims of political coercion.\n\nKingsbarn CEO Jeff Pori has ties to individuals close to the President, and federal election commission records show he has contributed to Republican National Committee and Trump-aligned committees. The National Parks Conservation Association, a conservation advocacy group, denounced the move as an \"unlawful attack.\" The Trump administration's attempts to undermine America's conservation legacy are directed at Yosemite with this clandestine, behind-the-scenes deal, according to Mark Rose, senior Sierra Nevada program manager at the association. The Yosemite NPS Employees Union expressed strong opposition, deeming the proposed trade \"antithetical to what we stand for\" as guardians of the park.\n\nYosemite National Park, located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, has been protected since 1864 and is renowned for its stunning granite cliffs, glaciers, waterfalls, sequoia trees, and wildlife. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California, a vocal critic of the Trump administration, stated that Yosemite must be preserved from further development. The courts previously blocked the project, but the current administration seems determined to proceed despite public, congressional, and judicial opposition, driven solely by financial gain.",
  "summary": "The Yosemite NPS Employees Union said it was \"appalled\" by the ceding of public lands to private interests, calling the proposed trade \"antithetical to what we stand for\" as stewards of the park.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/watch-president-trump-give-artemis-ii-moon-astronauts-the",
        "published": "2026-08-28T12:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour Science",
        "title": "WATCH LIVE: Trumps bestows Artemis II crew with Congressional Space Medal of Honor",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/watch-live-trumps-bestows-artemis-ii-crew-with-congressional-space",
        "published": "2026-08-28T15:27:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NASA",
        "title": "NASA’s Artemis II Crew Receives Congressional Space Medal of Honor",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-receives-congressional-space-medal-of-honor",
        "published": "2026-08-28T22:21:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}