The Senate has passed a new tax incentive for conservation in the Tax Relief Act of 2005. The bill provides for extending the carry-forward period for tax deductions from 5 to 15 years and raising the cap on conservation deductions from 30 percent of a donor's income to 50 percent - and to 100 percent for farmers and ranchers.

Rep. Saxton's staff worked with the NY/NJ Trail Conference to draft a NJ Delegation Letter to Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas and Ranking Member Charles Rangel. This Committee will determine if these Senate provisions are included within the final tax reconciliation bill. Our goal is to get the entire NJ Delegation signed onto Rep. Saxton's letter! Signed into law the new rules will be a boost to the Trail Conference land preservation efforts and other land trusts that help preserve land in each NJ county.