Land Trust Alliance Statement on Updated Conservation Easement Legislation in Congress

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2020 /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 applauded introduction in Congress of an updated version of the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act. The following statement can be attributed to Andrew Bowman, president & CEO of the Land Trust Alliance:

"On behalf of the Land Trust Alliance and its 1,000 member land trusts, I applaud U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, a Democrat, and Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican, for introducing an updated version of the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act. This new legislation closes potential loopholes identified by the Joint Committee on Taxation while remaining true to the original bill's objectives of ending abuse while allowing conservation easement donations motivated by charity to continue unimpeded. And like its predecessor bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, this legislation makes clear that conservation easement donations are not intended to be profit opportunities.

The land conservation community is grateful for all the work so many in Congress have done to further the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, have demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting this charitable program by championing similar legislation in the Senate. Moreover, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, a Democrat, made clear the need for this legislation by leading a bipartisan investigation into the abuse.

The stars are now aligned to pass this legislation this year and halt the abuse once and for all. We have bicameral, bipartisan legislation that will end the abuse. And Congress has a chance to address the problem now, thus preventing additional billions of dollars from wrongfully walking out the door of the U.S. Treasury. I look forward to thanking Congress for passing this legislation."

More information about this issue is available at https://www.landtrustalliance.org/charitable-conservation-easement-program-integrity-act-advocate-toolkit.

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.

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Media Contact

Joshua Lynsen, Land Trust Alliance, 202-800-2239, [email protected]

SOURCE Land Trust Alliance