By Paul Bean

All of the big energy, climate, and land use bills of the 2025 Legislature must be reviewed and then approved, amended or rejected by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. This year’s committee has a new look: new chair and four new members, including two Republicans. Last year’s committee was entirely made up of democrats.

The Vermont Legislature Website describes says “The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy has jurisdiction over matters relating to the conservation, development, and planning of the State’s natural resources, including water quality, geology, forestry, parks and recreation, and fish and wildlife; community and regional planning and development; and the conservation and planning of sources of energy.”

Below are a few important examples of policies and legislation that have come out of the committee the past few years:

• Renewable Energy Standard: The RES mandates that Vermont utilities source an increasing percentage of their energy from renewable sources. The goal is to reach 75% renewable energy by 2032, with an ultimate goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2050. The committee has been instrumental in shaping these standards.
• Global Warming Solutions Act: This landmark law requires Vermont to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. The law sets emission reduction mandates for 2025, 2030, and 2040 and mandates that the state develop a plan to meet these targets. The Natural Resources and Energy Committee has in the past attempted to establish the framework of the GWSA, for example the Clean Heat Standard
• Incentives for EV Adoption: The committee has supported legislation that provides financial incentives for residents and businesses to purchase electric vehicles. 

This year, the committee will be responsible for reshaping, continuing or even discarding the controversial Clean Heat Standard. A comment by the new chair suggests the committee will take a measured approach.

“Staying focused on affordability, I think, is key,” said new Chair Anne Watson to VTDigger. “If we can figure out a policy that helps make energy more affordable for Vermonters and oh, by the way, it’ll also help the climate — amazing.” Watson has supported policies seeking to address climate change by energy policy reform. This includes the Clean Heat Standard. She has been an advocate for Vermont to meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and to work toward the targets set by the Global Warming Solutions Act.

Watson is a Democrat elected by the Washington County District. She is the former Mayor of Montpeiler and a highschool teacher in Montpelier. As a teacher, her focus on improving Vermont’s educational system is not a surprise. Watson has served on committees related to energy policy and environmental sustainability, helping shape Vermont’s clean energy and climate action initiatives. 

Watson was born in Burlington. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Vermont.

Vice Chair Terry Williams is a Republican from Rutland County. Williams, a native of Rutland, now resides in Poultney. He graduated from Poultney High School and served in the Vermont Army National Guard from 1973 to 1979, later retiring as an armor officer in 2004. Williams holds an associate degree from New Hampshire Technical College and a B.A. from Regents College in Albany, New York. 

His career includes work as an automotive technician, deputy game warden, and service as vice chairman of the Poultney Selectboard and a member of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission. As a member of the Vermont Senate, Williams is an advocate for Vermont’s small businesses, rural communities, and fiscal stability. Some of his focuses are economic opportunity, responsible spending, and accountable governance. 

Sen. Ruth Hardy has a background in education, public policy, and community engagement.  She served three terms on various school boards. Last year she chaired Senate Government Operations, but was not appointed to any chair or vice-chair this year. In the 2023 legislative session she was Co-Chair of the Pupil Weighting Task Force, where she led a major revision of Vermont’s school funding formula. 

In 2024 she served on Health and Welfare, where an outspoken disagreement on agenda management put her at odds with Chair Ginny Lyons (D-Chittenden), who earlier this month was named to the influential committee that assigns senators to committees and leadership positions.

She also served as the Executive Director of Emerge Vermont, an organization focused on recruiting and training women to run for political office. When not serving as a Senator she works as a substitute teacher at Middlebury Union School. On her website she talks about H.158, a bil that would increase recycling goals for beverages. “The Governor vetoed the updated Bottle Bill after we adjourned,” she writes on her website. “So we’ll hopefully be able to override his veto when we reconvene next January.”

Senator Seth Bongartz is a lifelong Manchester resident with a long history of public service. He served in the Vermont House and Senate in the 1980s, working on issues like affordable housing and environmental protection. 

He later served as Executive Director of Hildene for 18 years, where he helped grow the site into a key economic driver for the region. He’s also been involved in local organizations like the Manchester Community Land Trust And the Burr and Burton Academy Board. In 2024, he was elected to the Vermont Senate.  

“In 2020 I was elected to the House, where I have served on the Environment and Energy Committee for the last four years,” he writes on his website. “I am a recognized leader on both environmental protection and setting the stage for the construction of housing that is affordable for Vermonters.”

Senator Scott Beck, another newly elected republican to the Vermont State Senate has served on the house ways and means committee. He is the Minority Leader of the 13-member GOP Senate caucus.

Senator Beck is a current resident of St. Johnsbury and served as a Naval Flight Officer in the U.S. Navy. Before his military service, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington., Beck went on to earn M.Ed. degrees in social science and mathematics from The Citadel. 

Beck’s professional career includes roles as a teacher and coach at St. Johnsbury Academy, owner of an independent bookstore, and executive director of the St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce. He has been an active community volunteer, serving as chair of the Downtown Improvement Commission founded the Kingdom Maple Festival.

See all bills assigned to this committee here. Constituents may contact committee members (click link on name for bio, party affiliation, etc.) with comments, questions and information at the following email addresses: 

Anne Watson, Washington County, Chair, awatson@leg.state.vt.us

Terry Williams, Rutland, Vice Chair, Twilliams@leg.state.vt.us

Ruth Hardy, Addison, rhardy@leg.state.vt.us

Seth Bongartz, Bennington, sbongartz@leg.state.vt.us

Scott Beck, Caledonia, sbeck@leg.state.vt.us

All committee transcripts are available at www.goldendomevt.com. Committee meeting video available at the committee’s YouTube channel. The committee meets in the morning in Room 8.