Dear Friends,

The Spring 2024 semester was marked by tragedy, congratulations, and excitement. In January, we lost Kevin Jones, who led the Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEE) since 2018 and was an integral part of the IEE since 2012. Kevin shaped the lives of many of our alumni, including members of the Class of 2024.

Our graduates are going across the country to work for federal and state agencies, renewable energy developers, private law firms, and in judicial chambers. They will be changemakers in the just, clean energy transition and are well positioned to use the skills and knowledge they have accumulated at VLGS. While we bid farewell to this year's graduates, I have been meeting the incoming class who will be joining our ranks this fall. They are a fabulous group, and I am excited to have them in our energy law and policy program.

The diversity of the work we do in the IEE never ceases to amaze me. Just this semester, our research associates and clinicians have been working on community solar projects for low-income households, net-zero affordable housing projects, offshore wind community benefit agreements, renewable energy in the Caribbean, agrivoltaics, and more.

Our program prepares students to work on every element of the clean energy transition. Kevin knew that graduates left our program ready to make good change, and I am proud to help carry forward his mission.

My best,

Mark James
Interim Director, Institute for Energy and the Environment

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Kevin B. Jones

On January 29, Kevin B. Jones, director of the Institute for Energy and the Environment and professor of Energy Technology and Policy, passed away suddenly while teaching.

To experience Kevin coming into Eaton House was to know how he lived his life. He arrived in a hurry with a million different things to do, but he always had time to answer a question or give advice. If Kevin had to pick between being late for a meeting and listening to a student, he always picked the student. He lent his opinion and his ear to countless Energizers and, along the way, taught us the value of showing people that they belong and that they were capable of doing great things.

Kevin loved his students and graduates. Every year at Commencement, Kevin would tell the graduating Energizers and clinicians that, "You may graduate but you don't get to leave us." He lived that mantra to the fullest. He was dedicated to helping students get their dream jobs. He kept in contact with a massive network of alumni working on the clean energy transition, reminding them that they were doing important work and that they had all the skills and knowledge to disrupt our energy systems. What he referred to as the IEE family is a meaningful community because of his work.

Kevin did not excel at telling people what he did before coming to Vermont Law and Graduate School. You had to find out from snippets of different conversations or from asking an energy question in class. Then, you would learn about his role in building underwater transmission cables between Long Island and PJM and Long Island and ISO-NE, or his role in creating NYISO's capacity market system, or how he was the director of energy policy for New York City.

An energy question to Kevin would often result in a long answer and a caveat that this was just a surface view of the issue. For many of us, we sought the full view because Kevin convinced us that we were smart enough to understand it and good enough to use it to make a difference.

Kevin lived his passions. He was committed to accelerating the clean energy transition and bringing forth just solutions to energy problems. He loved his home state of Vermont, his growing relationship with the people of Cuba, and all his students.

Kevin's loss reminded us of an indelible truth—that our time here on Earth might be fleeting, but our impact can last for lifetimes. How we choose to live our lives in the moment means something and every day we get to make that choice. Eaton House is a different place without Kevin, but the world is a better place because of him.

A celebration of Kevin's life will be held during Reunion Weekend on Friday, June 28. Registration is now open. A recording of Kevin's February memorial service can be watched here.

VLGS has established the Kevin B. Jones Fund to support the continued development and advancement of America's clean energy leaders. The fund will support the academic and professional development of our energy students. Donations can be made by clicking the button below.

UPCOMING SYMPOSIA

PROJECT UPDATES

Farmland Solar Updates

The Farmland Solar Policy Project is working to address the growing tension between renewable energy development and farmland protection. As solar energy expands rapidly across the United States, there is increasing competition for the use of flat, sunny farmland. IEE students have been working with Professor Genevieve Byrne to find policy solutions that preserve our most productive agricultural land while encouraging farmers' access to clean energy.

Our comprehensive State Law Database was recently selected by the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce for inclusion in its list of Environmental Sustainability Databases. The database collects policies related to siting solar projects on farmland including siting criteria, farmland mitigation measures, and incentives for agrivoltaic projects. As the demand for solar energy continues to grow, this state law database is an essential tool for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to navigate the complex issues at the intersection of renewable energy and farmland protection.

Team Leader: Genevieve Byrne
Team Members: Christine Monaco JD/MELP'25, Sonja Rzepski JD'25, Alema Sahbaz JD'24, Juan Treviño JD'24

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Houston Energy Conference

Energizers Sam Privett JD'25 and Laura Arboleda Bowie JD'25 attended the Houston Energy Conference in late February.

"Hosted by the International Law Section of the ABA, the conference offered a diverse range of topics in the current energy landscape, from the global state of nuclear energy to the emerging trends in hydrogen power. As attendees, Laura and I were able to engage with a remarkable array of energy experts from both international and domestic backgrounds. This provided us with valuable insights and networking opportunities," Sam explained.

FEATURED COLUMN

ALUMNI NEWS

Public Utility Commission Alumni Highlights

The IEE is proud to highlight several of our recent graduates who are now making a difference in state public utility commissions and ratepayer advocacy organizations across the country. These IEE alumni are putting their energy law and policy expertise to work, advocating for consumers and driving the transition to a clean energy future. We are proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they are having in their communities.

• Claire Valentine-Fossum JD/MERL'20 served as an energy analyst for the Oregon PUC. She recently became a staff attorney at the Oregon Citizens Utility Board, where she advocates on behalf of Oregon's residential utility customers.
• Amanda Webster JD'20 is a staff attorney for the Montana Public Service Commission, where she aids the agency in exercising regulatory oversight of some of the largest essential industries in Montana.
• Nathan Carrier JD'21 serves as a legal and policy advisor at the Illinois Commerce Commission, working to ensure fair and affordable energy rates.
• Michael Crouse JD'21 is an attorney with the New Hampshire Office of the Consumer Advocate, protecting the interests of residential utility customers.
• Simeon Brown JD'22 is an attorney with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, where he helps regulate the state's electric, natural gas, telecommunications, and water utilities.
• Kevin McElfresh JD/MERL'23 is an attorney at the Wyoming Public Service Commission, which regulates electric, natural gas, and telecommunications utilities.
• Lindsay Rostron JD'23 is an administrative attorney at the State of Nevada Public Utilities Commission, which oversees the state's almost 400 investor-owned utilities.