Trump Deal Would Hand Yosemite Land to Developer

The National Parks Conservation Association said it "strongly opposes" the plan. "This is an attack on the American people that own this national park," said Mark Rose, the group's Sierra Nevada program manager, who noted a court had already rejected a similar road proposal and called the current effort unlawful.

California Sen. Adam Schiff told NOTUS the administration "appears hellbent on moving forward in the face of opposition from the public, Congress and the courts," adding: "We will fight this."

California Sen. Alex Padilla said funding meant to protect natural areas should not be steered toward "an applicant's connections to high-ranking Trump administration officials."

Sen. Jeff Merkley, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the relevant conservation fund, formally objected to putting the Yosemite project on a list of endorsed projects, according to his office.

A National Park Service spokesman told NOTUS "no final decisions have been made on the matter," and said any deal "would be subject to all applicable federal laws, regulations, and Departmental policies, including required environmental review and public notification processes." The spokesman added that if a proposal advances, the Interior Department "would follow established procedures to ensure appropriate coordination, transparency, and public involvement, consistent with federal law."

Kingsbarn did not respond to NOTUS's request for comment.