Perpetual Conservation Easements Conference at Utah

This Friday afternoon the University of Utah College of Law will host a conference on perpetual conservation easements, organized by Prof. Nancy McLaughlin, whose work on the subject we have featured here on the blog.  [Note--Jessie posted this previously, but here is an update:] If you can't book a last-minute ticket to Salt Lake City, the good news is--you can watch it live on the Internet!!  Here's the info:

Perpetual Conservation Easements:
What Have We Learned and
Where Should We Go From Here?

Friday, February 15, 2013
12:00 - 5:00 p.m. MST

Watch Live Online!

The public is investing billions of dollars in conservation easements, which now protect more than 18 million acres throughout the United States. But uncertainties in the law and abusive practices threaten to undermine public confidence in and the effectiveness of conservation easements as land protection tools. This conference will explore these issues, with the goal of minimizing abuse and helping to ensure that conservation easements actually provide the promised conservation benefits to the public over the long term. Leaders in their respective fields will address (i) the federal tax incentives offered with respect to easements donated as charitable gifts to certain qualified holders, (ii) the state conservation easement enabling statutes, (iii) federal and state oversight of charities, and (iv) the role of state attorney general offices in the charitable sector and in the protection of charitable assets on behalf of the public. Read More >>.

The full conference agenda is available on the website. An abbreviated version is listed below.

12:00-12:20 p.m. - Introduction
12:20-1:20 p.m. - Federal Tax Incentives
1:20-2:20 p.m. - State Enabling Statutes
2:45-3:45 p.m. - Charity Oversight
3:45-4:45 p.m. - Working with State Attorney General Offices
4:45-5:00 p.m. - Closing remarks

For more information call 801-585-3440 or send an email to [email protected].

Matt Festa