Land Trust Alliance Statement on State and Local Tax Rule

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Land Trust Alliance, a national land conservation organization working to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America, today spoke against a federal tax change that will harm conservation. The following statement can be attributed to Andrew Bowman, president of the Land Trust Alliance:

The IRS and U.S. Treasury Department have fallen short in their duty. Congress and the states have repeatedly affirmed that philanthropic Americans who donate conservation easements and land should be eligible for certain tax deductions because of the benefits conserved lands provide to the public.

The new State and Local Tax rule change eliminates ? or substantially shrinks ? an important incentive for donors and will slow the rate of land conservation. Without the ability to utilize a state tax credit in combination with the federal tax deduction, financial pressures may force landowners to sell lands with important conservation values to raise funds. This means we, as a nation, will lose farm and ranch lands, wildlife refuges, forests and other remarkable places.

This new rule fails to respect the intent of Congress. As such, the Land Trust Alliance will seek a legislative remedy so that Americans are given the helping hand they need as they do the right thing: Protect our lands, our wildlife, our waters and our ways of life.

More information about State and Local Tax rule's effect on land conservation is available here.

About the Land Trust Alliance

Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000 member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices. More information about the Alliance is available at http://www.landtrustalliance.org.

SOURCE Land Trust Alliance