Update December 18, 2008:

Arches and Canyonlands NP:
Environmentalists file 11th-hour lawsuit to block proposed lease sales in Utah
Reporting from Denver -- Environmental groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday as a last-ditch effort to block the sale of leases for 110,000 acres of federal land in Utah that the Bush administration plans to auction off on Friday.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-drilling-utah18-2008dec18,0,3382731.story

Lawsuit seeks to halt gas and oil drilling in Utah
Seven environmental groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the federal Bureau of Land Management, hoping to stop the sale of leases to oil and gas companies on land in Utah that includes what some call the "world's longest art gallery."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/12/17/utah.land.lawsuit/

Misc. National Park News:

National park supporters plan statewide fundraising push
The group, which financially supports the three large national parks in the state, hopes to raise more than $625,000. The money will be used to fund almost 20 projects and programs at Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic national parks.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/571091.html

Ocmulgee takes step to become national park
A proposal to turn the Ocmulgee National Monument into a national park took a big step Wednesday as a local authority committed money to the vision.
http://www.macon.com/198/story/560458.html

Theodore Roosevelt National Park:
ND park to take comment on elk options
The superintendent of Theodore Roosevelt National Park says the park will take comments on proposals for controlling its elk herd.
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D954K0P01

Yellowstone National Park:
Winter brings Yellowstone wildlife close to road
We were expecting to see plenty of wildlife on a winter outing to Yellowstone National Park, but -- silly us -- we thought we might have to get through the entrance first.
http://www.sltrib.com/travel/ci_11238506


Yosemite National Park:
Sierra winter wonderland
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK -- Visitors to the floor of the Yosemite Valley on Tuesday were pretty much contained to one intense photographer shooting the snow and ice-covered Merced River and a couple of thieving crows, but the sights in the national park were Christmas-card perfect.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/357/story/598071.html