NC House Passes Bill Removing Tax Penalties on Rural Landowners

CONTACT:
Will McDow, 919-881-2926 or 919-414-5293 (cell)

(Raleigh, NC - August 2, 2007) Environmental Defense today praised passage of a bill by the NC House that will help protect the state’s forests and farm land by reducing the higher tax bills that landowners now pay when they use land for conservation benefits, rather than agriculture or commercial forestry. The bill passed with a 93-22 vote. It will come before the NC Senate during next spring’s short session.

“North Carolina leads the nation in the loss of farm land, and the state loses 100,000 acres of forests annually,” said Will McDow, forestry specialist with the North Carolina office of Environmental Defense. “High tax bills can be a crucial factor in a landowner’s decision to sell property. Currently, property owners who want to use their lands to protect water quality and wildlife habitat pay significantly higher property taxes, while voluntarily reducing their potential income. The bill removes that penalty and will ensure equitable property tax treatment with landowners involved in agriculture or commercial forestry.”

“We’re confident that the Senate will follow the lead of the House and pass this bill when the General Assembly reconvenes next year. Co-sponsors Pricey Taylor Harrison, Harold Brubaker, Dewey Hill and Pryor Gibson are to be commended for their leadership.”