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. Climate Change — And Flooding Infrastructure.Areas like Jefferson Chalmers have seen firsthand how devastating flooding can be for working families, homeowners, and seniors trying to remain in their communities.
2. Air Quality — And Industrial Pollution.Many neighborhoods continue to deal with poor air quality caused by heavy industry, truck traffic, refineries, and other pollution sources. These environmental burdens contribute to asthma, cardiovascular disease, and long term public health disparities, especially in working-class communities and communities of color.
3. Clean Drinking Water — Water Infrastructure and Contamination. Aging water systems, lead service lines, stormwater failures, and contamination from industrial sites continue to threaten public health and quality of life across Michigan. Clean, safe drinking water is a human right and we need to make modern infrastructure investments that protect both public health and the environment for future generations.
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
I support Michigan moving toward cleaner and more reliable energy, but the transition cannot come at the expense of working families. As implementation moves forward, I think it is reasonable for the legislature to revisit parts of the law to ensure affordability, reliability, and consumer protections remain front and center. Utility companies need to stop passing costs onto residents while continuing to prioritize shareholder profits over reliability and affordability
Updated response (July 22, 2026): I 100% support Michigan's clean energy law and our commitment to reaching 100% clean energy by 2040. If there's one thing I'd change, it's making sure the costs of the transition don't fall on working families. DTE and Consumers Energy should bear more of those costs through their profits instead of shifting them onto ratepayers.
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 the state should require stronger environmental review, energy and water usage disclosure, community impact assessments, and clear public oversight before projects move forward. We also need guardrails ensuring utilities cannot simply pass massive infrastructure upgrade costs onto everyday ratepayers while large corporations receive tax incentives and preferential treatment.
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 most important step Michigan should take on PFAS is strengthening polluter accountability so corporations responsible for contamination are required to fund cleanup, longterm monitoring, and public health protections instead of shifting costs onto taxpayers and affected communities. I also support stronger drinking water protections, faster remediation timelines, and phasing out unnecessary uses of PFAS wherever safer alternatives exist.
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
Yes. People in our district are already dealing with multiple sources of pollution at the same time, and it makes no sense to review new projects as if they exist in isolation. Residents deserve a process that looks at the real cumulative health impact on neighborhoods before more permits are approved.
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
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?
It should be shut down.
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?
Yes. For years, blue ribbon panels and policy experts have pointed to Bolt v. Lansing saying there's nothing that can do. It’s time for the legislature to pass a law making clear that affordable water access and income-based affordability programs are legal and necessary public policy in Michigan..
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 polluters not taxpayers should be held accountable for cleanup and long-term remediation costs. Communities should not be left dealing with contaminated land, polluted water, and public health risks while corporations avoid responsibility or delay cleanup efforts for years.