Yellowstone gets $105 million donation from Blackstone-backed energy firm Tallgrass
RVtravel reports the gift is the largest on record for a National Park, and it has drawn questions because of the donor's data center and political ties.
Yellowstone National Park has received a $105 million donation from the energy company Tallgrass, according to RVtravel. The outlet, in a news roundup by columnist Tony Barthel, called it the largest donation on record for a National Park.
The money is going through Yellowstone Forever, the park's official nonprofit partner. RVtravel reported that Yellowstone Forever CEO and President Lisa Diekmann said the funds are meant to pay for research and conservation, build a new visitor education center at Norris Geyser Basin, and give students and families more ways to experience and learn about the park.
The gift matters because of who it comes from. RVtravel said the donation has "raised eyebrows for many reasons."
According to the outlet, Colorado-based Tallgrass manages more than 10,000 miles of pipelines. With Google as a partner, it is developing a 2.7 gigawatt AI data center near Cheyenne, Wyoming. RVtravel describes Tallgrass as both a Blackstone Inc. portfolio company and a subsidiary of Blackstone, which it calls the world's largest financier of data centers.
The report also points to political links. Matt Sheehy, brother of Montana Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, led Tallgrass from 2019 until earlier this year, RVtravel said. The outlet added that Blackstone was a major financial backer of Bridger Aerospace, Tim Sheehy's former company.
Some of the public reaction has been critical. RVtravel, citing another article it linked to, said one person commenting on Yellowstone's Instagram page described the donation as "putting the wolves in charge of the sheep."
A lot is still unknown. RVtravel said the donation is "certainly welcome" but that "any strings attached are still being reviewed." The report does not say who is doing that review, what conditions the gift might carry, or when the review will be finished.
The report also gives no timeline for the Norris Geyser Basin education center, and it does not say how the $105 million will be split among research, conservation, the new center and programs for students and families. It includes no response from Tallgrass, Blackstone, the National Park Service or Sen. Sheehy to the concerns raised.
This story rests on that one RVtravel report, which covered the donation alongside other news for RV owners.
