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.
Protecting the Great Lakes and its watershed/tributaries and related aquafers is the top priority. Clean drinking water that is safe from contamination, invasive species, and pollution is pivotal to our residents, recreation, and wildlife. In our District, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) awarded Ann Arbor with the “Best Tasting Water in Michigan” competition in 2026, and Chelsea and also won the Michigan Rural Water Association taste tests. Fishing and boating results in +$15 billion in economic output and 80,000 related jobs. Data centers are a growing concern for the environment in terms of noise and water pollution, EMF shedding, and loss of wildlife habitat. Research and related guidance is urgently needed to ensure the safety of our residents, wildlife and related ecosystems. We have already lost 500,000 acres to solar farms, and now risk further impact to our food supply and economy in terms of $269 billion in related revenue, and 805,000 jobs. Soil/water contamination and remediation of existing sites have been an ongoing problem. Whether it is the new inground Battery Energy Storage System adjacent to the Detroit River in Trenton, existing remediation of the Gelman dioxane plume in Ann Arbor, PFAS in our landfills, or the radioactive material storage in Van Buren Twp, Michigan continues to be the top importer of solid waste with Canada contributing to ~60% of it.
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.
Because wind and solar are intermittent, research indicates that traditional sources of energy such as nuclear and natural gas are still needed to meet the growing need for energy. Michigan can do a better job of leveraging hydro, biomass, and geothermal sources of energy to supplement a balanced and more reliable baseload and peak power demand.
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?
State and federal governments should have/need to jointly develop a recommended framework and guidelines for data centers that prioritize environmental research and stewardship, self-contained energy source and wastewater treatment capability, consumer infrastructure and affordability, and overall energy reliability (MI currently ranked the worst). Conversely, Michigan’s current state government enabled the rapid expansion of data centers by providing generous tax incentives, and could have done a better job supporting local communities/governments that did not want them, and removing the appearance of potential conflicts of interest i.e. gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson’s husband is the VP of the Saline data center project (tied to Oracle and OpenAI).
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?
The priority is to concurrently remediate sites with existing funding, and pursue incremental appropriation needs forecasted to be $140-$270 billion when combining soil/groundwater cleanup with water/wastewater treatment upgrades. Current funding is available; $1 billion allocated in 2026 via the “Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant”, (part of a $5 billion multi-year commitment), $4 billion dedicated through “Drinking Water State Revolving Funds” via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and related appropriations, and $6.5 billion in financing via the “Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act”.
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 - Michigan and/or federal regulators should equally, equitably, and scientifically consider all harmful factors to people and the environment, and fairly consider/prioritize permit approvals accordingly. Polluters could be held accountable for both the near and long term, regardless of where/when it occurs.
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?
State regulators are responsible for allowing/enabling an energy monopoly, and the unelected members of the MPSC continue to authorize rate increases. I advocate for the right to choose inter-state energy providers (10-20% less cost) vs existing monopoly, with a balanced energy source plan. Michigan has an aging infrastructure that needs to support energy demand expansion, and protect from weather/environmental & cyber vulnerabilities. A free-market energy strategy combined with improved energy/fuel capacity & infrastructure will drive consumer costs down & concurrently improve reliability + expand geothermal energy use due to short ROI & lower heating/cooling costs by 40% to 70% compared to traditional sources. MI-6 Debbie Dingell voted AGAINST; HR 1047 - "Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power Act" HR 3632 - "Power Plant Reliability Act"
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?
The safety of the Great Lakes is paramount to Michigan, the region, and North America. Enbridge has a poor environmental track record overall, but the planned replacement might make Line 5 safer if performed correctly, and with extensive oversight.
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?
Michigan already provides several forms of assistance/protections to help people with low-incomes and/or those impoverished to pay water/sewer bills, restore service, prevent shutoffs, conservation/plumbing repairs, etc. i.e Statewide Water Assistance Program, Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Water Residential Assistance Program, and other community-based programs. Federal programs exist when state programs are insufficient i.e. “Low Income Household Water Assistance Program” funding included in the pandemic, American Rescue Plan.
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?
I fully support legislation to hold polluters accountable but also support measures to proactively ensure that those companies at risk and/or responsible have the funds/resources necessary to pay for it when/if contamination may occur.
Data center proposals have multiplied across Michigan since the spring, and it is by far the most common topic readers have asked candidates about. Would you support a pause on new hyperscale data center approvals until state guardrails on water use, noise, utility rate impacts, and local approval are in place? Please explain, including whether data centers should keep their state tax breaks, whether local communities should be able to reject them, and whether they should pay the full cost of the grid and water capacity they require.
Yes
I support a pause in new hyperscale data center approvals to give the state the time to develop guidelines, etc. I am not in favor of tax incentives for any company/sector that bullies’ communities, usurps local zoning ordinances, and tramples on the will of the people/communities. As communities throughout the U.S. are experiencing the same concerns, I advocate for national research/guidelines to aid individual states in their strategic planning, and currently believe that data centers should ideally be self-contained in terms of energy source production and water/coolant treatment.
• Michigan’s risk is unique in that we’re nationally ranked 50th (worst) for energy reliability, allow an energy monopoly held by 2 companies with an aging infrastructure, and have an abundance of fresh water above & below ground
Data centers are needed to support next-generation innovation, but not at the unbalanced expense/detriment of people, infrastructure, and environment. The free-market combined with existing zoning and regulatory requirements should be instrumental in determining data center strategy related to volume/density, location(s), size, etc.
Incremental research is needed to condense the size of data storage units/centers and associated energy/resource consumption, make more efficient use of natural resources in the technologies/solutions used, perform cause/effect modeling that accurately reflects now/near/far benefits and risks, establish regulatory guidelines/requirements as needed, etc.
Communities near heavy industry see frequent air quality alerts, wildfire smoke now adds unhealthy-air days statewide, and EGLE has limited staff to inspect facilities and enforce permits. Do you support stronger air pollution enforcement, such as higher penalties for repeat violators or emission limits on unhealthy-air days? What specifically would you do to protect vulnerable residents, including those in the most polluted zip codes, on those days?
MI EGLE Air Quality Division confirmed to me that federal EPA Air Quality regulations are woefully outdated and agreed that they need to be updated i.e. only test when air is visibly 'dirty' to the naked eye, which is a concern for those workers who perform contaminated site remediation, and the surrounding environment/residents. This would be a focus for me when elected.
As of Sept 2026, Michigan has lost 427 acres to wildfires, the U.S. has lost over 8.5 million acres, and our neighbors in Ontario have lost over 1.9 million acres that adversely impacted Michigan’s air quality. Firefighters all agree that smart forest management is needed to clear dead overgrowth to reduce fire risk/protect wildlife habit/resident homes, etc.
MI-6 Debbie Dingell voted AGAINST; HR 471 - “Fix Our Forest Act” that would return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands HR 6387 - “Fire Improvement & Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act” requiring the EPA to revise regulations regarding air quality monitoring data influenced by actions to mitigate wildfire risk HR 3898 - "Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act" to protect firefighters regarding aerial suppression applications
Michigan is already seeing more extreme heat, storms, and flooding, and households pay some of the highest electric rates in the Midwest for some of the least reliable service. What specific steps would you take in your first term toward the MI Healthy Climate Plan goals, and would you support community solar and expanded weatherization so residents can own or share in clean power and lower their bills?
I advocate for the smart implementation of solar energy in existing urban areas i.e. panels & photovoltaic shingles on rooftops/awnings versus replacing farm/ranch land because it would be less of a threat to our $126 billion agriculture industry, be better for the environment/wildlife/pollinators, and better protect & preserve food security/green space.
• As of March 2026, Michigan lost 6,600 farms/500,000 acres of farmland to green energy projects
The MPSC already has existing programs to help participating companies/housing dwellers lower energy bills/recoup costs, etc. The Return on Investment for solar energy solutions in Michigan is 13+ years, and average savings throughout the state of $2,000 per year when factoring in snow/precipitation and cloud cover. Thinking more broadly, I advocate for expanded geothermal energy use due to its relatively short ROI & lower heating/cooling costs by 40% to 70% as compared to traditional sources.
Federal cuts to EPA staffing, enforcement, and Great Lakes funding are shifting responsibility for air, water, and public health protection to the states. Should Michigan backfill that funding and enforcement, and how would you pay for it? What would you do to make Michigan's own environmental protections durable against future rollbacks?
States continue to perform ~90% of program implementation i.e. permitting, inspections, monitoring, and routine enforcement for which resources continue to exist i.e. MI EGLE Air Quality & Water Divisions has no recorded separations beyond planned/voluntary attrition, and former state funding cuts were primarily targeted on unfilled/vacant positions. However, EGLE is already funded to hire incremental employees for which various related positions were posted i.e. Environmental Quality Engineer, Environmental Analyst, Geologist, Aquatic Biologist, etc.
The federal EPA sets standards, provides oversight, funding grants, research, and resolves gaps/interstate issues, and are similarly funded/hiring for various roles including Environmental Policy Analyst, Regional Administrator, Environmental Response Team, etc.
Implementation of updated IT infrastructure combined with new technologies such as the use of AI will improve efficiency and reduce the risk of resource/capability gaps amongst both state and federal agencies, and incrementally improve discovery/performance/oversight/enforcement.
Michigan's forests, wetlands, and public lands support clean water, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and flood protection, yet the DNR estimates nearly a billion dollars in backlogged capital needs. What are your top priorities for protecting these lands over the next term, including wetland and floodplain protection, groundwater withdrawals by bottlers, and native habitat, and how would you fund them?
The priorities in Michigan aren’t that much different than those in other states – The state in partnership with counties/municipalities need a robust environmental/green-space plan, and the federal government can partner with them to; Maintain & preserve existing assets/resources and access to them; Protect wetlands, forests, and grasslands through smart policies/management, Protect & manage native habitat, biodiversity, and wildlife, and Ensure the abundance/safety of our aquafers/drinking water.
As a Representative in Congress, I could better facilitate the connections for EGLE, the DNR, and local counties/municipalities to inform them of existing funding that they may not be aware of (i.e. Land and Water Conservation Fund, North American Wetlands Conservation Act was recently funded $44.79 million, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service was a recent beneficiary of the Working Families Tax Cut Act that delivered the largest long-term conservation investment in decades, incl. $625 million in 2026, $650 million in 2027, $675 million in 2028, and $700 million per year from 2029 through 2031, etc.
MI-6 Debbie Dingell voted AGAINST; HR 471 - “Fix Our Forest Act” that would return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands. Just in 2026 thus far, better forest management could have saved 427 acres from burning in Michigan, and 8.5 million acres nationally.