Time to make the sale

The Senate Finance Committee hearings on conservation easements will be held Wednesday, June 8. Jon's got the list of those invited to testify over at the Uneasy Chair. The LTA has also set up a page on the hearing on its website, which includes a link for those who want to listen to the hearings live.
Reading the tea leaves from a thousand miles away, I'd say the omens are pretty good for the survival of the easement deduction. First the list of those testifying includes the head of The Nature Conservancy, the president of the Land Trust Alliance, and others able to make the case for the easements. Also if you check out the LTA's page on Policy Makers, there are testimonials to the need for the easements from politicians from across the spectrum. Republicans like Rick Santorum, Democratic Governors, even the Secretary of Interior is saying nice things. It looks like the lobbying efforts by the LTA and local trusts has gained traction. It also looks likely that reforms of some kind will take place, the question becomes what form those reforms take. Should be an interesting hearing.