How New England bungled its plan to transition to renewable energy

Decarbonization should be a slam dunk, especially in progressive states. But a recent fight over hydropower shows states must listen carefully to voters first

Earlier this year, Massachusetts passed a landmark law as part of a push towards decarbonization that requires the state to cut emissions in half by 2030.

But the state's plan to meet this ambitious goal hit a snag this fall, when residents in Maine voted down a regional clean energy project, arguing it would irreversibly damage their own natural resources in order to deliver hydropower somewhere else.

This article was updated on 29 December 2021 to include comment from Clean Energy Matters, a political action committee funded by Avangrid, and to add further clarification to the story.