Planet Detroit Candidate Survey
What are the three most pressing environmental issues facing the communities you seek to serve? Please rank them in order of priority and briefly explain why you chose each.
My top three environmental concerns are focused around (2) improving aging water infrastructure with nature to help address urban flooding in our communities, (1) water affordability and access and (3) impacts of data centers on Michigan’s natural environment.
I will identify opportunities and promote access to available funding for green stormwater infrastructure, particularly for Royal Oak Township who is dealing with an aging water system. I plan to support the bills proposed to support water affordability assistance, capping bills at no more than 3% of their household income. Access to clean drinking water is a human right and public health and safety need. It should not be dictated by income. Finally, I will support and protect the implementation of Michigan’s Clean Energy & Climate Action package which is under threat by House Republicans.
Michigan law requires utilities to reach 100% clean energy by 2040. If elected, would you support maintaining this law, or would you support revising or repealing it? Please explain your position.
Maintain the current law and timeline
I fully support strong implementation of the Clean Energy and Jobs Act and will oppose any attempts at repeals or weakening. I believe directing funding to lower-income residents for renewable energy options like solar panels would be beneficial. I also believe there should be a focus on uplifting reskilling/upskilling opportunities for green energy jobs to prioritize union laborers, returning residents and graduating students who may not want to do traditional higher education. I would like to see funding directed to our trades, high schools and incarceration systems that employs and create a direct pipeline to higher wages and career opportunities.
More than two dozen Michigan communities are considering or have approved large-scale data center developments. These facilities can consume as much electricity as a small city and place significant demands on local water and energy infrastructure. What role should state government play in overseeing data center development, and what guardrails should the state legislature enact to protect communities where data centers are proposed?
The voice of the community should be at the forefront of any decision-making regarding data centers. Before any project moves forward, there must be proper, timely and fully transparent communication with decision making and stakeholders, including the public. The state is responsible for enforcing regulations of environmental impacts, impacts to ratepayer costs and evidence-based long term job opportunity proposals. The state is also responsible for enforcing legal action against environmental protection violators.
PFAS contamination has been detected in drinking water, groundwater, and surface water across Michigan. Cleanup efforts are underway, but many affected communities are still waiting for action. What is the single most important step the officeholder in this position should take on PFAS in the next term?
At the state level, leadership should be responsible for establishing a statewide clean up timeline to spurn action and continuing to direct state funding to the PFAS Action Response Team. These dollars can be used to complete sample testing, inform impacted communities and assist with enforcing cleanup and remediation.
Michigan residents in some communities face disproportionate exposure to air pollution, contaminated water, and industrial waste. Do you support requiring Michigan regulators to assess cumulative environmental and health impacts on overburdened communities before approving new permits for polluting facilities?
Yes
Utility rate cases directly affect what Michigan residents pay for electricity and gas. DTE and Consumers Energy have requested frequent significant rate increases in recent years. Should elected officials play a greater role in holding utility companies accountable for rate hikes and rising energy costs?
Yes, elected officials should play a larger role in holding utility companies accountable for rising energy costs and rate hikes.
Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline runs through the Straits of Mackinac and carries crude oil and natural gas liquids between Wisconsin and Ontario. A proposed tunnel beneath the lakebed to house a replacement pipeline has faced legal and regulatory challenges for years. What is your position on the future of Line 5?
Line 5 is aging and provides a major connection between Canada and the United States. However, an oil spill would be devastating to our Great Lakes and the environmental and treaty violation risk is great. I do not support the construction of the Line 5 pipeline currently.
Drinking water is becoming increasingly unaffordable for Michiganders in both rural and urban areas, leading to water shutoffs. Would you support legislation that caps water bills for low-income Michiganders and adds shutoff protections?
I would support legislation that provides shut off protections and caps water bills for low-income families.
Michigan is home to more than 18,000 contaminated sites. Do you support or oppose legislation to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up these sites?
Support