State Rep. Sarah Edwards will leave the State House after five terms in office, reports the Brattleboro Reformer:

Edwards told the Reformer that she is retiring from politics to spend more time working with a family foundation that is developing a model that can be applied to the preservation of coral reefs around the world.

(The story currently posted on the Reformer’s website is very brief; a longer story is promised in the Tuesday edition.)

Edwards is one of five Progressives in the House, and is the longest-serving Progressive. She’s been a vocal opponent of Vermont Yankee, and has been strongly involved in a variety of environmental issues.

Additional comments are welcome from those more knowledgeable about Edwards, and what her departure will mean for the House and the Progressive Party.