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.
As Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force in Congress, protecting the Great Lakes remains one of my top priorities. Not only are they one of our most valuable natural resources, but they are a way of life that supports communities and jobs throughout our region. I continue fighting for efforts to ensure our Great Lakes labs are properly funded and staffed, our programs combatting invasive species are functioning, and our efforts to predict and monitor harmful algal blooms remain ongoing. I also remain entirely focused on removing PFAS forever chemicals from our lands and waterways. These chemicals contaminate drinking water, groundwater, soil, and waterways, and because they do not easily break down, they can remain in the environment for decades. Finally, too many communities continue to bear the burden of pollution from decades of industrial activity. Residents should not have to worry that where they live determines the quality of the air they breathe or the water they drink. We must continue cleaning up contaminated sites, strengthening environmental enforcement, and ensuring all communities receive equal protection from environmental hazards.
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
In Congress, I have led legislative efforts to transition our nation to a 100% clean energy economy, and am strongly supportive of similar efforts to do so. The reality is, solar and wind are less expensive than gas and oil.
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?
I believe that it is the government's role to ensure communities have a say in the projects being built in their backyards. I am working hard to ensure any data center project–whether in Michigan or other communities across the country–are held to strong accountability measures that ensure they keep the promises they make to impacted communities. This includes strong guarantees that the cost of utilities and water are not passed on to community members, that local water sources are protected, and that the environment is not harmed. I am fighting to ensure no residential ratepayer subsidizes data center rates. We have to ensure that the infrastructure of these will not damage Michigan’s environment and done in collaboration with community leaders and that the cost of the
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?
As Co-Chair of the PFAS Task Force in Congress, containing and cleaning up PFAS contamination is one of my highest priorities. Unfortunately, the administration has already moved to roll back critical protections that communities depend on to keep their drinking water safe. The single most important step Congress should take in the next term is to ensure robust federal funding and enforcement for PFAS cleanup while holding polluters accountable for the costs.
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
I strongly believe regulators must fully understand the environmental and public health impacts of projects on communities—especially those that have already disproportionately borne the burden of pollution. Equally important, communities must directly have a say in their decision-making.
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?
Elected officials need to make sure that utility companies are not continuing to increase costs for ratepayers. Michiganders should not have to choose between keeping the lights on, paying rising grocery costs, and buying prescription drugs. Communities across Michigan deserve an energy system that is affordable, dependable, and sustainable. I support investing in modernizing our electric grid, strengthening infrastructure, and improving resilience to extreme weather. We must hold utility companies accountable for delivering reliable service and ensure that ratepayers are getting value for the costs they are asked to bear.
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?
As co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force in Congress, the safety of the Great Lakes matters greatly to me. I have previously stated it is critical to demonstrate the operation of the pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac is safe.
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 believe access to clean and safe drinking water is a human right. That’s why I lead legislation to make permanent a Low-Income Housing Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), which will promote universal water access to drinking water for low-income households at risk of shutoffs. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and I helped originally establish this program in 2021 to ensure people’s water kept flowing during the pandemic.
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
It is the responsibility of elected officials and local leaders to protect our communities from environmental harm. Corporate polluters must be held accountable for the damage they cause and should bear the full responsibility for cleaning up the contamination they leave behind.