Thank-you Bremen

For the second year in a row Bremen voters approved funds for deposit into the Land Conservation Reserve Fund. Despite these tough economic times and while other towns have had to make tough decisions, Bremen voters displayed their dedication to conservation by generously approving the request as submitted by the Bremen Conservation Commission.

Thank-you,

Dennis Prior
Chairman, Bremen Conservation Commission

Compost Bins Available

As part of Earth Day 2009 celebration, the Bremen Conservation Commission is participating in a statewide sale of backyard composting bins. Through May 2, a home compost bin and how-to guide with a combined retail value of $100 can be purchase for only $37.50 (tax included). Order forms are available now at the Town Office. On Bremen Clean Up Day, Sat., April 18, the BCC will take orders and have a sample bin on display in Bremen Fire Station parking lot; on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, they will be set up in the Town Center parking lot. There are a limited number of compost bins available and they are being sold on a first come, first serve basis.

It's estimated that 25 percent of the average household's waste consists of yard trimmings and kitchen scraps that can be easily composted and turned into rich soil for your garden.

Residents from other towns are welcome to participate in the sale. For more information, or to receive an order form, call Diane at 529-4499 or email doc@tidewater.net.

Woodland Assistance

Need assistance in caring for your woodland? The 2008 Farm Bill expanded access to some conservation programs for forest landowners and managers. Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts are sponsoring meetings throughout Maine in March to provide information about programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program and Forest Stewardship; how they could benefit Maine's forest landowners; and eligibility requirements. One meeting is scheduled for Waldoboro on Thursday, March 26, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Knox-Lincoln Extension Service office at 377 Manktown Road. If you'd like to attend, please call 273-3005, ext. 3, a week in advance.

A list of all the meeting dates, locations, times and contact information is available at www.me.nrcs.usda.gov.

Coastal Access

If you are interested in coastal access issues, check out this new website developed by Maine Sea Grant. Www.seagrant.umaine.edu/accesslaw offers legal tools to address specific coastal access questions, and is a resource for coastal property owners, beach and waterfront users, public and environmental interests groups, and governments. It is well designed, easy to use and offers a lot of concrete suggestions.

Tax Benefits of Donating Conservation Land by Robert Levin

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There are several kinds of tax benefits available to donors of land or conservation easements. This article attempts to summarize these benefits and provide some examples of how they work. If you are uncertain about the differences between bargain sales and donations, or conservation easements and whole interests in property, go to Conservation 101 for a quick brush up.

Federal Tax Benefits

There are two main kinds of federal tax benefits available to conservation donors: federal income tax benefits and federal estate tax benefits.

Federal Income Tax Benefits- Donors of land and conservation easements may claim an income tax deduction under § 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. The exact amount of tax savings depends on several factors:

• How long the donor has owned the property (benefits are generally greater if owned for more than one year);
• How the donor has used the property (residence, investment, agricultural);
• The income of the donor (the higher one’s income, the more one will save on taxes); and
• The value of the donated property (the more valuable the property, the bigger the deduction).

Federal Estate Tax Benefits - A donor may also save substantially on estate taxes if he donates a conservation easement. Under § 2031(c) of the Code, up to $500,000 may be excluded from one’s taxable estate if he or she had donated a qualifying easement. As with the income tax benefits, the larger the value of the donated easement, the bigger the deduction.

The federal estate tax is currently in great flux. In 2003, any estate of $1 million or more is subject to the estate tax. This number rises gradually and the estate tax is completely phased out in 2010. But in 2011, the estate tax is back, along with the $1 million threshold. It is likely that Congress will revisit the estate tax in the coming years, so it is impossible to make any long-term predictions.

State Tax Benefits

Some states have enacted income tax deductions or credits for the donation of land or conservation easements. Check with your local land trust for more information. For example, there is no such state income tax benefit in Maine.

Local Property Tax Benefits

In general, property tax reductions are available for landowners who grant land or a conservation easement. The exact results depend on state law. In Maine, for example, property subject to a conservation easement. will qualify under the Open Space Tax Program. The landowner must file an application with the local tax assessor, who will then make the final decision on the amount of the reduction.

See some hypothetical examples of how much one couple could save

Woodland Management Workshops Offered

Do you own woodland? If so, you might be interested in free two woodland management workshops being offered this month, both led by Morten Moesswilde, the midcoast district forester for the Maine Forest Service.

On Sat., March 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Coastal Mountains Land Trust will host a condensed forest management course at their office at 101 Mt. Battie Street in Camden on the fundamentals of managing woodlands. Advance registration is required; to register or for more information, call 236-7091 or visit www.coastalmountains.org.

Sheepscot Valley Conservation Assn. and the Maine Forest Service are hosting a two-part "Woodland Owner's Shortcourse" from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, March 17 and 24, at SVCA's office in Sheepscot Village. Pre-registration is required by March 12; call 586-5616 or send an email to svca@sheepscot.org.

Ocean Front Property: To Preserve Or Not Preserve
By John Maguire

Bremen residents learned how landowners could preserve oceanfront property for commercial fishing use during a presentation at the Town Center on Feb. 25.

Jeff Kendall, a property appraiser from the Property Tax Division at the Maine Revenue Service, spoke in front of a small audience about the state Working Waterfront current use program.

Bremen had the highest acreage (20.70 acres) in Maine classified under the Working Waterfront program in 2008, according to Kendall and the Maine Revenue Service.

To read the article in its entirety link to Lincoln County News by clicking on the link below:

http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=44149&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=75&S=1