Misinformation, politics, and a complex design brought down the once-promising program, which sought to slash emissions from heating in the cold New England state.

At the time, there was widespread concern in the state about property tax increases related to education funding. Republicans took advantage of this ongoing financial unease to inflate and mischaracterize the costs of a clean heat standard, said former state Senator Chris Bray, a Democrat and major force behind the clean heat standard bill, who lost his seat in the election.

“It got weaponized in the campaign season, with a broad misinformation campaign,” Bray said.