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The Shoestring

Regine A. Spector

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where I teach comparative political economy, development, energy and Central Asian politics courses. My current research examines New England energy politics and electric grid reform, among other topics. I work in partnership with colleagues and students at UMass, and with multiple New England organizations, seeking to advance a cost-effective, democratic, and carbon-neutral grid that will enhance the quality of human and non-human life.

Environment

Springfield’s “zombie plant” is reanimated once again

A proposal for a wood-burning power plant may now move forward despite over a decade of community opposition, thanks to what activists are calling...

Irina Costache and Regine A. SpectorOctober 22, 2025

Community

“Zombie plant”: How Springfield defeated biomass

For more than a decade, Springfield residents and environmentalists resisted efforts to build a wood-burning “biomass” power plant in their city. Their struggle offers...

Irina Costache and Regine A. SpectorFebruary 18, 2025