Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act

Floor Speech

Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I support efforts to provide permanent enhanced conservation tax incentives for family farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who make charitable contributions of land for conservation purposes. As a cosponsor of the Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act, S. 526, I am a strong supporter of these valuable tools for protecting significant natural and historic resources on privately owned lands.

These incentives expired at the end of 2013 and are among the so-called extenders--tax provisions that are routinely extended each time they expire. Making these provisions permanent would benefit wildlife, enhance hunting, fishing and shooting access, and keep working lands functioning and intact.

Specifically, the Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act would permanently increase the allowable deduction for charitable contributions of property for conservation purposes. The maximum deduction for individuals would increase from 30 percent to 50 percent of adjusted gross income, AGI. Farmers and ranchers would be allowed a maximum deduction of up to 100 percent of AGI. The bill would also allow any unused deduction to be carried forward for up to 15 years to help donors receive the full benefit of their contribution.

When this incentive was in place, it supported donations of conservation easements in my home State of Maine. In 2012, a landowner donated a conservation easement on a 20-acre property in Machiasport, which is home to centuries-old cultural artifacts, including petroglyphs. In addition to being a spiritual site for Maine's Passamaquoddy tribe, this property allows people to explore the State's precolonial history and provides access for local fishermen to utilize valuable clam flats.

Another success story is from 2013 in Harpswell, where a landowner donated a conservation easement on a 44-acre island property in the heart of Casco Bay. The easement provides public access to a scenic peninsula where visitors can picnic, boat, and kayak. Due to this generous donation, Casco Bay is experiencing increased recreational use while also protecting critical habitats for many species of wildlife including shorebirds, herons, and bald eagles.

Continuing the enhanced conservation tax incentives would assist in the conservation of thousands of additional acres and provide a whole host of community benefits--protecting historical features, securing economic opportunities, enhancing recreational access, and preserving valuable wildlife habitat--in 2014 and beyond.

I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Source