§175 — Soil and water conservation expenditures; endangered species recovery expenditures

The term “expenditures which are paid or incurred by him during the taxable year for the purpose of soil or water conservation in respect of land used in farming, or for the prevention of erosion of land used in farming, or for endangered species recovery” means expenditures paid or incurred for the treatment or moving of earth, including (but not limited to) leveling, grading and terracing, contour furrowing, the construction, control, and protection of diversion channels, drainage ditches, earthen dams, watercourses, outlets, and ponds, the eradication of brush, and the planting of windbreaks. Such term shall include expenditures paid or incurred for the purpose of achieving site-specific management actions recommended in recovery plans approved pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Such term does not include—

Notwithstanding the preceding sentences, such term also includes any amount, not otherwise allowable as a deduction, paid or incurred to satisfy any part of an assessment levied by a soil or water conservation or drainage district to defray expenditures made by such district (i) which, if paid or incurred by the taxpayer, would without regard to this sentence constitute expenditures deductible under this section, or (ii) for property of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation provided in section 167 and used in the soil or water conservation or drainage district’s business as such (to the extent that the taxpayer’s share of the assessment levied on the members of the district for such property does not exceed 10 percent of such assessment).

The term “land used in farming” means land used (before or simultaneously with the expenditures described in paragraph (1)) by the taxpayer or his tenant for the production of crops, fruits, or other agricultural products or for the sustenance of livestock.

A taxpayer may, without the consent of the Secretary, adopt the method provided in this section for the taxpayer’s first taxable year for which expenditures described in subsection (a) are paid or incurred.

A taxpayer may, with the consent of the Secretary, adopt at any time the method provided in this section.

In the case of an assessment levied to defray expenditures for property described in clause (ii) of the last sentence of subsection (c)(1), if the amount of such assessment paid or incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year (determined without the application of this paragraph) is in excess of an amount equal to 10 percent of the aggregate amounts which have been and will be assessed as the taxpayer’s share of the expenditures by the district for such property, and if such excess is more than $500, the entire excess shall be treated as paid or incurred ratably over each of the 9 succeeding taxable years.

If paragraph (1) applies to an assessment and the land with respect to which such assessment was made is sold or otherwise disposed of by the taxpayer (other than by the reason of his death) during the 9 succeeding taxable years, any amount of the excess described in paragraph (1) which has not been treated as paid or incurred for a taxable year ending on or before the sale or other disposition shall be added to the adjusted basis of such land immediately prior to its sale or other disposition and shall not thereafter be treated as paid or incurred ratably under paragraph (1).

If paragraph (1) applies to an assessment and the taxpayer dies during the 9 succeeding taxable years, any amount of the excess described in paragraph (1) which has not been treated as paid or incurred for a taxable year ending before his death shall be treated as paid or incurred in the taxable year in which he dies.