The Interior Department is in discussions with Kingsbarn Realty Capital regarding a potential land exchange that would enable the developer to construct a road less than a mile long to Yosemite's entrance.
Kingsbarn owns an 83-acre parcel known as Hazel Green Ranch, and the proposed deal would involve the company purchasing land of equal value elsewhere in California to transfer to the National Park Service.
While Kingsbarn's attorney, Lanny Davis, argues that the new access route would reduce driving and emissions, environmental groups like the Sierra Club and the National Parks Conservation Association have strongly opposed the plan, labeling it a 'corrupt back-room deal' that undermines public commitment to protecting national parks.
They also highlight that a previous court ruling dismissed similar road development claims. The legal basis for the land swap remains unclear, and while land exchanges are not uncommon in federal dealings, this particular case involving national park land for private development is unusual.
Additionally, Kingsbarn's CEO, Jeff Pori, has made political contributions to President Trump's campaign, although there is no evidence linking these donations to the proposal's consideration