An Act to protect open space, historical resources, and community housing from coastal threats

This bill amends the definition of "preservation" in Massachusetts law to explicitly include protecting open space, historical resources, and community housing from coastal threats like flooding and sea-level rise. The key provision allows for the construction, alteration, or rehabilitation of beaches, dunes, and seawalls as valid methods of preservation. By updating the legal definition, the bill clarifies that building coastal infrastructure to safeguard these specific areas is considered an act of preservation rather than a separate development project.