By admin 
Federal lawmakers from California are leading a bipartisan push, backed by nearly a third of Congress, to stop the Trump administration from moving forward with a proposal to transfer public land in Yosemite National Park to a private developer.
Read more Syracuse vs Pitt Prediction: Do or Die Time in the ACC Race
In a letter sent Tuesday morning to the U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the lawmakers called the potential deal “extremely concerning” and an attempt to provide a private benefit “at the expense of land that belongs to all Americans.”
The proposal, first reported by the news outlet NOTUS last month, would involve transferring a roughly quarter-mile strip inside the western boundary of Yosemite to a company owned by the private equity firm Kingsbarn Realty Capital. The real estate group has confirmed that it is pursuing the land to build a new road to its 83-acre property just outside the park.
“This transaction does not seek to expand public access to Yosemite, improve visitor services, or address transportation deficiencies in park access,” the lawmakers said in the letter. “Rather, this land exchange seeks to merely cut down on driving time for a select few on private property. Any decision to relinquish public land to private ownership should be supported by a clear and compelling public benefit, not merely the economic interests of a private party.”
The letter, first shared with The Sacramento Bee, was signed by 157 federal lawmakers and spearheaded by California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla as well as House members Jim Costa and Jared Huffman. They are among local, state and federal elected officials who have condemned news of the potential deal at Yosemite, regarded as the crown jewel of the U.S. National Park system.
Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of 61 California legislators — led by Republican Assemblymember Greg Wallis — also sent a letter to Burgum.
Read more Angels put the pieces together in support of Reid Detmers, beat Mariners
The National Parks Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement to the NOTUS last month, a spokesperson for the National Park Service said “no final decisions have been made.”
“If a proposal advances, the Department would follow established procedures to ensure appropriate coordination, transparency, and public involvement, consistent with federal law,” the spokesperson added.
The Tuesday letter references former President Theodore Roosevelt comments that “nothing in the world is more beautiful than the Yosemite” and notes that previous attempts for private access to Yosemite have been blocked by federal courts.
“Public lands belong in public hands,” the lawmakers wrote at the end of the letter. “Protection of public lands is a bipartisan issue, overwhelmingly supported by the American people from all walks of life.”
Read more Pete Crow-Armstrong blasts homer as Cubs take down Braves