Concerns about inflated values and private benefit led the Obama administration to propose limitations on or denial of deductions for conservation easements, a Treasury Department official said April 25.

“There is a deep concern about the valuation of these things and whether or not there is any value in some of these easements … being claimed,” Ruth Madrigal, Treasury Department attorney-adviser told exempt practitioners gathered for the Georgetown Law Center CLE conference on representing and managing tax-exempt organizations.

The proposals were contained in the General Explanations of the Administration's Fiscal Year 2014 Revenue Proposals, known as the Green Book (70 DTR K-3, 4/11/13). The Green Book also contains provisions that will affect exempt organizations, such as requiring all tax-exempt organizations that must file Form 990 series returns to file them electronically.