Natural Resources Secretary Elizabeth McLain says she’s retiring to spend more time with her family, especially eight grandchildren. McLain says she’ll leave Governor Jim Douglas’s cabinet after her replacement has joined the administration. Her resignation represents the first departure of a member of the governor’s cabinet since he was elected two years ago.
Douglas describes McLain as an all-star member of his administration. During her tenure, the administration has launched a couple of environmental initiatives. They include the Clean and Clear initiative, designed to clean up Lake Champlain, and lawsuits against the federal government over air pollution.