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Regional planners report Hubbardston met Green Communities criteria but warn missing data and utility delays could affect grants
Summary
Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission presenters told the Hubbardston Select Board and annual town meeting hearing that the town has shown a 20.6% reduction in municipal energy use since the FY2019 baseline but cautioned that omitted fuel data and delays from National Grid are skewing results and slowing local projects tied to grant funding.
Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission staff reviewed Hubbardston’s progress under the state Green Communities program on May 5, reporting overall energy reductions since the town’s FY2019 baseline while cautioning that gaps in fuel data and utility delays complicate certification and grant work.
The MRPC presentation covered the five Green Communities criteria, annual energy and emissions trends, and energy conservation measures (ECMs) such as heat pumps, LED retrofits, and pump replacements. MRPC staff said the town’s weather‑normalized data show a 20.6% reduction in total municipal energy use from the FY2019 baseline, but they warned that missing fuel data — notably for some oil‑heated municipal accounts and the highway garage — and one‑time changes to field irrigation schedules make year‑to‑year percentages volatile.
“Utilities upload the electric and natural gas…
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