Acadia Center Provides Panel Testimony at Massachusetts Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming Hearing On Draft Climate Compliance Plans Submitted to the Department of Public Utilities by the Gas Utilities

On May 14, 2025, Acadia Center’s Director of Climate, Energy & Equity Analysis Ben Butterworth provided verbal testimony as part of a panel at the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Climate Change and Global Warming hearing on Draft Climate Compliance Plans (CCPs) submitted to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) by each of the gas utilities operating in Massachusetts. Acadia Center’s testimony highlighted concerns with the lack of rigorous quantitative analysis included in the plans demonstrating what concrete actions the gas utilities are taking to reduce scope 3 emissions (from combustion of gas by customers) at the speed and scale necessary to contribute meaningfully to both the overarching state-level GHG reduction mandates and the emission reduction sublimits aimed specifically at the Residential Heating & Cooling Sector and the Commercial and Industrial Heating & Cooling Sector. GHG emissions from these two Sectors will need to decline 36% below 2021 levels by 2030 in compliance with state law and Acadia Center’s testimony highlights how the CCPs fail to establish quantitative targets that will ensure that the gas utilities meaningfully contribute to achievement of these sublimits.