Washington, D.C. — Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) have introduced the Incentivizing REPI Sales Act. The bipartisan bill provides financial incentives for landowners to sell land for inclusion in a program to maintain military readiness and promote environmental conservation.
Background:
- The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program supports cost-sharing agreements between the Military Services, other federal agencies, state and local governments, and private conservation organizations to avoid land use conflicts near military installations, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities, and increase resilience to weather events and other environmental concerns.
- REPI is a key tool used by DOD and its partners to protect the military’s ability to train, test, and operate. Development of lands and loss of habitat near military installations, ranges, and airspace can lead to restrictions or costly and inadequate training and testing alternatives.
- Preserving natural areas is vital for keeping skies dark, which is necessary for night training, protecting habitats off-base for endangered species, and facilitating nature-based approaches to mitigate flooding and severe weather.
- REPI successfully protected 27,000 acres around Fort Liberty, NC in order to provide a flight corridor for Grey Eagle drone training and conduct Robin Sage, the final training exercise of Special Forces qualification. This action also helped recover the local population of red-cockaded woodpeckers.
- The Incentivizing REPI Sales Act excludes the appreciated land value from federal capital gains tax for landowners who sell land or easements near military installations specifically for REPI purposes.
Senator Budd said in a statement:
“As global threats continue to grow and adapt, our military must maintain its readiness and lethality through realistic training at home installations. The REPI program has been used successfully to conserve land around military installations while promoting environmental protection. I’m proud to partner with Senator Kaine to provide financial incentives to landowners so that REPI participation grows and military readiness is strengthened.”
Senator Kaine said:
“Building and maintaining resilient bases is crucial to our national security. I’ve long supported the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, which helps us do that while also promoting conservation of public lands and critical habitat. I’m proud to work with Senator Budd in introducing this legislation to incentivize participation in the REPI program and will continue to do all that I can as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to support our military installations.”
Jennifer Morris, CEO of the Nature Conservancy:
“For decades, the Readiness Environmental Protection Integration, or REPI, program has successfully facilitated partnerships to preserve landscapes for both conservation value and their contributions to national security. These land protection projects help support the military community while also preserving off-base habitats for threatened and endangered species. As the demands of development increase and intensify amongst the remaining available landscapes around these installations, these REPI agreements will be a win for both conservation and national security.”
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