Colorado farmer uses conservation easement to protect land from solar leasing

Marc Arnusch, a third-generation farmer in Colorado, chose to protect 2,700 acres of farmland through a conservation easement rather than accepting multi-million dollar lease offers from solar companies. To preserve the land for his family and community, Arnusch invested nearly $1 million in various experts, including tax attorneys, solar engineers, and geologists, to establish the “highest and best use” value of the property.

This valuation, which incorporated solar company offers and technical reports, was used by an appraiser to determine the land's value for a tax deduction submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Conservation easements are a long-standing mechanism designed to incentivize landowners to preserve the natural or historic value of their property.