Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

 

AGENDA

 

Room 8 and Zoom

January 13, 2026 - January 16, 2026

Last Updated 1/15/2026 11:34 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-natural-resources-and-energy.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

Followed by mandatory training

 

11:00 AM                   S. 202 - An act relating to portable solar energy generation devices

TJ Poor, Director Regulated Utility Planning, Department of Public Service

Michael Derouchers, Director, Fire Safety Division, Public Safety Department

 

11:30 AM                   S. 202 - An act relating to portable solar energy generation devices

Jake Marren, Staff Attorney, Vermont Public Utility Commission

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

9:00 AM                   Federal Funding and Recent Events

Eric Forand, Director, Vermont Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety

Julie Moore, Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources

Melissa Bailey, Director, State Office of Energy

Richard Giddings, Director of Heating and Utility Assistance Program, Department for Children and Families

Miranda Gray, Deputy Commissioner, Economic Services Division, Department for Children and Families

 

10:30 AM                   S. 218 - An act relating to reducing chloride contamination of State waters

Jared Carpenter, Water Protection Advocate, Lake Champlain Committee

Bethany Sargent, Deputy Director, Watershed Management Division

 

11:15 AM                   S. 212 - An act relating to potable water supply and wastewater system connections

Megan Moir, Director, Burlington Pubic Works

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 15, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 202 - An act relating to portable solar energy generation devices

Ken Nolan, General Manager, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority

Louis Porter, General Manager, Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Kevin Crawford, Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Candace Morgan, Director, Regulatory and Government Affairs, Green Mountain Power - Invited

Andrea Cohen, Manager, Government Affairs and Member Relations, Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Amber Widmayer, Regulatory Specialist, Burlington Electric Department

 

10:10 AM                   Break

 

10:15 AM                   S. 138 - An act relating to commercial property-assessed clean energy projects

Possible  Watson Amendment

Sen. Thomas Chittenden, Sponsor, Sponsor

Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Amanda Samai, Castle Green Finance

Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Government Affairs, Vermont Chamber of Commerce - Invited

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 16, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 223 - An act relating to water quality of the waters of Vermont

Sen. Sen. Seth Bongartz, Senator, Senate Committee on Education

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:30 AM                   S. 224 - An act relating to the management of the State’s lakes

Sen. Anne Watson, Sponsor, Sponsor

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:00 AM                   Bill Update

S. 223, S. 224 and Land Posting

Jason Batchelder, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:40 AM                   S. 223 - An act relating to water quality of the waters of Vermont

Bethany Sargent, Deputy Director, Watershed Management Division

 

-                                   S. 224 - An act relating to the management of the State’s lakes

Laura Dlugolecki, Lake and Shoreland Permitting Analyst, Agency of Natural Resources

 

11:00 AM                   S. 202 - An act relating to portable solar energy generation devices

Jenny Carter, Vermont Law School

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.