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House Passes Kelly-Sponsored Conservation Easement Incentive Act

February 12, 2015

Tax certainty bill introduced by Rep. Kelly included in bipartisan
passage of America Gives More Act

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Rep. Kelly: “Let’s do what makes sense for all of America”

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WASHINGTON — Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 644, the America Gives More Act of 2015, a package of charity-related tax bills which includes the text of H.R. 641, the Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2015, legislation authored and introduced by U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) – a member of the House Ways and Means Committee – on February 2, 2015. This provision will provide a permanent tax incentive for farmers and ranchers to preserve their non-developed land for future conservation. H.R. 644 was passed by a bipartisan vote of 279-137.

Excerpt of Rep. Kelly’s floor remarks:

“This is about allowing a landowner to set property aside. So I don’t care if you’re a farmer or a rancher. I don’t care if you’re a hunter or a hiker. I don’t care if you like to look at birds or hunt birds. There are over 65 associations around the country that say, ‘Please do more of this. Set this ground apart.’ … This is so basic to who we are as Americans. Let’s preserve what we have.  Let’s just keep what we have. Let’s make sure that our kids can hunt and hike and swim. Let’s make sure that they can fish. Let’s make sure that they can do all of those wonderful things that this land affords us to do. … There are millions of acres that have been said aside now. Why not give some permanency to this? We talk about tax reform—let’s give it some permanency.  Let’s do what makes sense for all of America. … Let’s make sure we set ground for the future.”

Praise for Rep. Kelly’s legislation:

“The Lake Erie Region Conservancy unequivocally supports H.R. 641 sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly and Rep. Mike Thompson. Conservation easement incentives are critical to the continued conservation of open space and farms throughout the U.S. Tax incentives for land donations have been and should continue to provide an important tool in the decision land owners make when protecting their lands for future generations.” — Tom Fuhrman, President, Lake Erie Regional Conservancy

“Conserving land not only protects our natural communities and open space for future generations, it also protects the character of our rural communities. The Conservation Easement Tax Incentive provides a vehicle for landowners to leave a permanent legacy on the landscape and is critical to ensuring that both our heritage and our ecology is protected in perpetuity. The French Creek Valley Conservancy thanks Congressman Kelly for leading the bipartisan effort to make the Conservation Easement Tax Incentive permanent.” — Jim Lang, Board President, French Creek Valley Conservancy

“Congressman Kelly made clear today his conviction that land conservation is good for America and Americans. We thank Congressman Kelly for voting to ensure the land heritage we share with America’s farmers – the land heritage we wish to pass forward to our children – is conserved.” — Rand Wentworth, President, Land Trust Alliance

NOTE: The conservation easement tax incentive was created in 2006 and provides an enhanced income tax deduction to private landowners who voluntarily choose not to develop their land and instead preserve their property for conservation. It has helped America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest land owners conserve hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, open space, and water sheds in the public interest for future generations to enjoy. The Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2015 (H.R. 641) will make this tax incentive a permanent part of the nation’s tax code.

The legislation was introduced by a bipartisan coalition on February 2, 2015, including Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) in the House of Representatives and Sens. Dean Heller (R-NV) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in the U.S. Senate. It was favorably marked-up by the House Ways and Means Committee on February 4, 2015.

H.R. 641 has been endorsed by a diverse coalition of conservation, agriculture, and sporting organizations including (but not limited to) the Land Trust Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Nature Conservancy, the National Sports Shooting Foundation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Mule Deer Foundation, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Forest Foundation, the National Audubon Society, the Wildlife Society, the California Association of Wine Growers, and National Wild Turkey Federation. An extended list of supporters can be viewed here.

 

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