Vermonters like me are eager to transition to clean energy, especially for transportation and home heating. The state already offers strong resources worth sustaining and expanding: plug-in solar programs for homes and rental properties, community-level investment through Affordable Community Renewable Energy (ACRE), the Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP) for home energy efficiency upgrades, and various organizations that train and vet efficiency-trained contractors.

 

Vermont already has a strong foundation to build on: the Climate Action Office has developed a clear, action-oriented blueprint for climate resilience. My goal is to continue supporting that work within the Agency of Natural Resources rather than starting over. With a sharper focus on workforce development and training—spanning education, health, youth development, and private contractors—we can weave modern training into energy-efficient building and trades practices, such as geothermal plumbing for both individual homes and larger community infrastructure projects, into the pipeline for the next generation. Investing in clean-energy expertise for young Vermonters helps them build strong careers while advancing our shared climate goals, and strengthens the systems our communities depend on for years to come.

 

Electing state leaders to congress and the governor’s seat who are committed to reducing climate change and promoting clean energy remains critical. To elevate the urgency of our warming planet, I propose a simple discipline for lawmakers: "Climate Framing," bookending every piece of legislation with "How would this policy affect our climate?" This small exercise underscores the importance of understanding the impact policies, ideas, and infrastructure bring to our environment—on every decision, not just the obvious ones.

 

The repeal of Vermont's 2022 Clean Heat Standard isn't the end of the road for policy progress toward a healthier planet—it's a learning opportunity. Vermonters, like most Americans, have a deep dependence on fossil fuels that cuts across income levels and geography. As with health care and education, real progress here requires champions willing to bridge political divides and work incrementally rather than demand everything at once. I believe a version of the Clean Heat Standard, refined by what we learned this time around, deserves another look—done in a way that brings more Vermonters along rather than leaving them behind.

 

Because a home solar array or an EV is still a major investment—out of reach for many Vermont families—our work can't stop at defending the Climate Action Office's mission. We need new financial incentives and accessible pathways that help more Vermonters reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, regardless of income. At the same time, Vermonters who do rely on EV charging infrastructure currently pay a flat annual fee of $89 in place of gas taxes; I believe that fee should increase, so that EV owners contribute fairly toward funding renewable energy and road infrastructure alongside everyone else.

 

My own family has invested in climate protection ourselves. Our twelve-panel solar array, installed by Vermont’s own Sun Common and paid off after ten years, powers a large heat pump and charges our two electric vehicles daily. These choices have saved us money and reduced our environmental footprint, but I know they aren't within reach for every Vermont family. Closing that gap, so every Vermonter has a path toward cleaner, more affordable energy, is exactly the work I want to bring to Montpelier.