WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 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 commented on the future of the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act. The following statement is attributable to Andrew Bowman, president & CEO of the Land Trust Alliance:
"While we are disappointed that the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act did not pass this Congress, our efforts to enact this important legislation will continue in the new year.
"Our many supporters on Capitol Hill recognize the need for Congress to take action by passing this bipartisan legislation. And that need was made even more apparent this week when we learned that two people pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to develop, market, promote and sell investments in fraudulent syndicated conservation easement transactions. A press release from the U.S. Department of Justice on this development is further evidence that the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act should be enacted by Congress as soon as possible, and that investors should avoid abusive conservation easement tax shelters at all costs.
"This legislation would protect from abuse a crucial land conservation incentive and, moreover, it would enact safeguards to protect American taxpayers from bad actors who have made billions turning conservation easement donations into profit opportunities. Make no mistake: This bill would benefit taxpayers as much as it would advance land conservation.
"On behalf of the Land Trust Alliance, I thank our member land trusts and the numerous conservation and appraisal organizations that strenuously advocated for the bill, as well as our champions in Congress who worked tirelessly to advance the legislation, including Sens. Steve Daines, Chuck Grassley, Debbie Stabenow and Ron Wyden along with Reps. Mike Thompson and Mike Kelly. I commit today to continuing to work with them in the next Congress to pass this legislation. Because support for this bill is support for more land conservation."
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
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