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Watchdog: State’s conservation easement program needs work

CULPEPER, Va. — Virginia’s state government watchdog says the commonwealth’s land conservation easement program that offers participants tax breaks needs improvement.

The Culpeper Star-Exponent reports auditors with the Office of the State Inspector General found items like trash, old tires, inoperable vehicles and a manure storage area containing dead-cattle parts on properties with easements it inspected.

Among the watchdog’s recommendations was lowering the financial threshold that triggers a quality review by the state.

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