The Trump administration is considering a land exchange that would transfer a portion of Yosemite National Park to a private company, according to a document submitted to Congress. The National Park Service (NPS) stated in the document that a landowner is seeking to connect their property to a park service road to support commercial development.
The NPS reported it is currently working with the landowner to convey an interest in the land. Under the proposed terms, the landowner would be required to purchase property within Yosemite or other NPS units in California to complete the trade. Interior Department responses provided to a Senate office, which were shared with The Hill, identified the land swap as a "priority."
The Interior Department stated it has not reached a final decision regarding the proposal. The agency said that if a proposal moves forward, it will follow federal procedures for transparency and public involvement. The department also stated that claims of secret work or political pressure to reach a specific outcome are false.
According to reporting by NOTUS, the company involved is operated by Kingsbarn Realty Capital. Lanny Davis, an attorney for Kingsbarn and former counsel to President Clinton, confirmed the company is seeking the exchange. Davis stated the proposal is intended to provide residents of the private property a direct entrance and exit to the park via a road that he said would not endanger any species.
A person visiting or living near the affected area would notice the construction of a new road and the potential start of commercial development on what is currently park-controlled land. The timeline for when these changes would occur depends on the completion of the federal exchange process, the dates of which are not yet known. The Interior Department has noted that any advancement will require coordination and public involvement as mandated by federal law.
The exchange sets a potential precedent for how the Department of the Interior handles requests from private entities to acquire park land for development purposes. While the administration describes the swap as a priority, the Department has emphasized that final decisions are pending. The next steps involve the department's internal review and the adherence to coordination procedures, though no specific dates for votes or court hearings were provided in the reports.