Massachusetts loses its claim to being the most energy-efficient state
For nine years in a row, Massachusetts ranked as the most energy-efficient state in the country, according to a closely watched annual report.
But not this year.
The state dropped to No. 2, behind California, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit based in Washington D.C.
While the reasons for the lost bragging rights are somewhat technical — Massachusetts was still lauded in the group’s annual report card — the slight demotion has sparked calls to reform its energy efficiency programs, which are considered vital to the state’s plans to effectively eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
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Environmental advocates urged lawmakers, as a first step, to approve stricter energy standards for common appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers.
“Massachusetts should adopt appliance standards, but also take this shift in rankings as a wake-up call,” said Amy Boyd, director of policy at Acadia Center, an environmental advocacy group in Boston. “Even though our utility efficiency programs are among the best in the nation, they’re not perfect.”
Read the full article in the Boston Globe here.
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