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Shumlin to launch year 2 of efficiency effort

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is heading to Rutland to help launch the second year of an effort to get Vermont businesses to step up their energy efficiency efforts.

Shumlin on Monday will join officials from Efficiency Vermont at the Rutland Regional Medical Center to kick off the final year of the Vermont Energy Leadership Challenge.

Efficiency Vermont started the program last year to encourage the state's largest electricity consumers to reduce their usage by 7.5% over two years.

So far, 69 businesses and institutions have signed on to the challenge, and officials say many have already exceeded the energy reduction goal.

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