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.
1. Trees & Forests — Species. Ash borer is here to stay but oak wilt, beech fungus or longhorn Asian beetle on Maple, could bring devastating forest losses and reduce diversity, while harming our forestry, tourism and utilities
2. Dam Maintenance. Nobody — Dam Maintenance. Nobody has held Consumers accountable to maintain the Damns. This is a safety and economic question, but the environmental consequences of drastic failure are impressive
3. PFAS — Are an ongoing challenge. I want to keep the allowable limits low rather than raising them
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.
Revise or repeal portions of the law
Goals need to be achievable. More importantly, we need to look past wind and solar to also consider forestry biomass (a big waste product stream in Michigan) and rejuvenated hydropower and Nuclear to achieve these goals. Gas will be a great filler power in green energy lulls
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?
Data Centers should pay a premium over residential rates to prevent residential utility hikes Appropriate Environmental Oversight of Water quality. Finally, Data Centers should only be allowed in communities where they are welcomed by zoning.
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?
You'll have to tell me about the roadmap. But I suspect prevention of further abuses is the most effective action
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
This is constitutionally based not on the right of business to pollute reasonable (which it has) but the right of citizens to breathe air unpolluted by others.
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?
Since this is a functional monopoly, it is their duty to defend the consumer and his utility costs
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?
Pipelines are the most carbon efficient way to move liquids and usually the safest. Why are we fighting this? do we want to run Diesel Semi Tankers over the Mackinac Bridge instead?
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 don't know the best way to address the problem without incurring abuse, but it does need addressing. Base fees on all utilities are too high, people are penalized for existing and not rewarded for conserving
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
I believe there is a debate about brownfield restoration and building. I don't have all the ins and outs of it, but its in our best interest to see these sites cleaned and developed. Whether we can extract that from the polluter (who may be bankrupt), or add some cost to the developer and split costs with them were necessary, we benefit if brownfields are restored and built.
According to the stories I've heard, my district used to be far less poor. A major contributor to the economics of the region is the closing of the paper mill because of compliance costs. It is incumbent upon us as we regulate to seek solutions instead of citations, to protect the lungs and the jobs of the people.