The recent $10,000 fine levied against a Loveland appraiser accused of inflating the value of a conservation easement was a shockingly big penalty.

But it's the kind of message the state needs to send if it is serious about curbing abuses in its celebrated conservation land easement program.

The Internal Revenue Service has become very interested in Colorado's program, and has begun investigations on 290 such easements.

In a typical conservation easement, the land owner agrees to permanently restrict development of the property in exchange for a tax break. Many of the IRS cases involve accusations of the land being overvalued.

Colorado's conservation easement program is a critical tool that has been used to preserve 1.2 million acres of agricultural land, open space and wildlife habitat since 2001. In total, the tax breaks issued have totaled $270 million.

If the value of the land is appraised too high, then the land owner gets a bigger tax break and the government is shorted on revenue.

In November, Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies issued 30 subpoenas as it sought to identify appraisers who were inflating property values.

Officials with DORA said they were investigating the appraisals and other matters. Those getting conservation easements get tax credits that are transferable. DORA also is looking into possible misconduct in the sale of these credits.

The state investigation includes deals involving five ranches and an Arvada land trust, according to a Denver Post story by Margaret Jackson. DORA officials have said suspected abuse of the program could place it in jeopardy.

That would be a shame. Allowing a relative handful of schemers to ruin a program that has conserved 1.2 million acres of land is unacceptable.

A task force of lawmakers, administration officials and non-profit conservation officials is examining the situation and researching solutions.The topics they are exploring include ways of increasing oversight, creation an appraiser certification program and pre-screening of proposed easements.

Recently, a task force subcommittee recommended that landowners seeking conservation easements file appraisals with the Division of Real Estate. That way, the division could easily review them.

As it stands, the appraisals are filed with the state Department of Revenue, but that department is bound to keep them confidential, which impedes outside review.

We're encouraged by the appraisal suggestion, and by the work done thus far to tackle the conservation easement abuses. The task force meets today, and we look forward to hearing the full range of the proposed solutions that would allow the easement program to continue conserving Colorado's ranches and open space for the enjoyment of future generations.