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 - The combined wastewater and storm drain overflow system throughout metro Detroit. During extreme rain events, wastewater is discharged into the Rouge River. #2 - Canadian and out of state trash being imported to landfills in Wayne and Van Buren. While our communities participate in largescale recycling programs, our landfills continues to grow year after year. #3 - Poorly maintained waterways along the rouge, including log jams that collect trash and cause algae blooms. Litter & Fertilizer runoff into the storm drains. Most residents do not realize that the storm drains discharge directly into the middle and lower rouge rivers.
- All three of these concerns also impact the quality of our drinking water, and how much it costs to make the water from the Detroit River drinkable.
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?
Revise or repeal portions of the law
Explanation for Question 2 (1-2 sentences)
This needs to be looked at again and thouroughly discussed. So far, it has only increased costs for ratepayers and has not succeeded in lowering our reliance on fossil fuels. I also have concerns with massive solar farms and how that impacts our environment.
More than two dozen Michigan communities are considering or have approved large-scale data center developments. What role should state government play in overseeing data center development, and what guardrails should the state legislature enact?
I believe the size and scale of potential data centers needs to be limited to prevent adverse effects on water and electric utilities. I also believe there needs to be local controls for approving or denying new data centers.
PFAS contamination has been detected across Michigan. What is the single most important step the officeholder in this position should take on PFAS in the next term?
Funding needs to be provided to speed up cleanup efforts as well as for research to find better and more efficient ways to test and cleanup PFAS.
Do you support requiring Michigan regulators to assess cumulative environmental and health impacts on overburdened communities before approving new permits for polluting facilities?
Yes
Should elected officials play a greater role in holding utility companies accountable for rate hikes and rising energy costs?
Yes. I also believe local communities need to enact ordinances when it comes to planting trees near power lines. Our local cities should start to play a role in maintaining the grid and send the bill to DTE.
What is your position on Line 5?
No position at this time. If the old line is posing environmental issues, something needs to be done. I am not familiar with the details of how safe or unsafe a new line would be under the lakebed.
Would you support legislation to cap water bills for low-income Michiganders and add certain shut-off protections?
Yes. However I believe current proposed legislation is flawed when it comes to the funding mechanism.
Do you support or oppose legislation to hold polluters accountable for cleanup costs?
Support
Please explain your position on polluter accountability.
They should clean up their own mess.