A new bill introduced to the house by Virginia representative Gerald Connolly would benefit some of the most important trails in America. The “Complete America’s Great Trails Act” would grant tax credit to private landowners who provide conservation easements to certified National Scenic Trails, offering a low-cost incentive for willing landowners to donate easements that would increase trail connectivity. Currently, ambitious long trail projects like the Mountains to Sea Trail in North Carolina have large gaps between the completed sections of trail because the proposed corridor passes through private land. These tax-free easements would help connect the dots and provide legal passage through large swaths of private land.
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