In 1976, Congress created a tax incentive to facilitate land conservation in the United States. The incentive allows property owners to donate a perpetual easement on their land to a nonprofit charity in return for a federal charitable tax deduction.

This incentive has been extremely helpful in opening up access to nature and the outdoors, safeguarding open space, protecting wildlife, and preserving historic sites for the benefit of the public for decades but, recently, a small group of bad players has abused the deduction for personal gain.

The abuse of this tax incentive hinders conservation efforts across the country, hurts landowners, and is a waste of tax dollars. Urge your members of Congress to pass the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act of 2021 (S.2256 and H.R.4164) today which, if passed, will close the loophole and prevent further abuses of the charitable giving provision of the tax code.