By Martina Jackson, Fig City News. November 15, 2022
On November 10th, the Massachusetts Legislature voted to pass the Public Lands Preservation Act (PLPA, H.5381), designed to preserve open space in the Commonwealth. For Rep. Ruth Balser (D, Newton) it was the successful culmination of a twenty-four-year legislative journey, with roots in her service on the Newton Board of Alderman. PLPA adds protections for open space protected by the state constitution under Article 97, enacted in 1972.