ENews from Congressman Mike Thompson
June 18, 2010
Dear Friends:
As summer starts, and we spend more time outside, we gain an even greater awareness of the wonderful things that the outdoors contribute to our lives. I feel strongly that we need to preserve every appropriate open space that we can, so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy the same vistas, clean air and clean water that we have today. That's what drives me to work for land conservation and open space preservation in Congress.
I recently introduced a bill that would help preserve our agricultural lands and open spaces. My bill would make it easier for family farms and ranches to be free from development, and preserve our heritage by bringing tax relief to family farmers, ranchers, and open space landholders so that open spaces are not broken up through generations. Nearly three quarters of the land in the lower 48 states of the U.S. is in private ownership, with the vast majority owned by farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These lands are vital to both healthy ecosystems and vibrant rural communities. They contribute to clean water, climate benefits, food and fiber production, and wildlife habitat. Providing additional incentives to keep these lands in agriculture and open space will help us preserve these areas and culture.
In order to preserve our open spaces, I've also introduced legislation to permanently allow landowners to get significant tax deductions if they voluntarily place a conservation easement on their property. These conservation easements allow property owners to continue using the land, while protecting the land from future development. In August 2006, Congress passed provisions I wrote that enhanced the tax incentive for the donation of conservation easements by allowing landowners. With these enhanced tax provisions, 535,000 more acres were put into land trusts in the last two years. Hopefully, we can make this important tax benefit permanent so we can maximize the lands that are protected.
We must do all that we can to preserve and protect our open spaces and agricultural heritage. Our future is too important to stand by and let development take over our beautiful natural areas. I hope you have a chance to enjoy the outdoors this summer with your family.
Sincerely,
Congressman Mike Thompson
https://mikethompson.house.gov
As summer starts, and we spend more time outside, we gain an even greater awareness of the wonderful things that the outdoors contribute to our lives. I feel strongly that we need to preserve every appropriate open space that we can, so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy the same vistas, clean air and clean water that we have today. That's what drives me to work for land conservation and open space preservation in Congress.
I recently introduced a bill that would help preserve our agricultural lands and open spaces. My bill would make it easier for family farms and ranches to be free from development, and preserve our heritage by bringing tax relief to family farmers, ranchers, and open space landholders so that open spaces are not broken up through generations. Nearly three quarters of the land in the lower 48 states of the U.S. is in private ownership, with the vast majority owned by farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These lands are vital to both healthy ecosystems and vibrant rural communities. They contribute to clean water, climate benefits, food and fiber production, and wildlife habitat. Providing additional incentives to keep these lands in agriculture and open space will help us preserve these areas and culture.
In order to preserve our open spaces, I've also introduced legislation to permanently allow landowners to get significant tax deductions if they voluntarily place a conservation easement on their property. These conservation easements allow property owners to continue using the land, while protecting the land from future development. In August 2006, Congress passed provisions I wrote that enhanced the tax incentive for the donation of conservation easements by allowing landowners. With these enhanced tax provisions, 535,000 more acres were put into land trusts in the last two years. Hopefully, we can make this important tax benefit permanent so we can maximize the lands that are protected.
We must do all that we can to preserve and protect our open spaces and agricultural heritage. Our future is too important to stand by and let development take over our beautiful natural areas. I hope you have a chance to enjoy the outdoors this summer with your family.
Sincerely,
Congressman Mike Thompson
https://mikethompson.house.gov