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. Clean Drinking Water — First, residents are living with polluted air caused by industrial facilities and heavy industry operating in their neighborhoods. Communities are impacted by concrete crushing operations, paint manufacturing facilities, freeways, and high-traffic transportation corridors that contribute to poor air quality. Families should not have to worry about the air they breathe every day.
2. Water Quality — Third, contaminated soil what many residents refer to as "bad dirt"—is an issue that affects both public health and quality of life. We are working to identify contaminated sites throughout the district so residents are aware of potential hazards.
3. Polluter Accountability — S accountable, strengthen environmental protections, and fight for investments that ensure our communities can live, play, and thrive not merely survive.
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
I support maintaining Michigan's law requiring utilities to achieve 100% clean energy by 2040. Transitioning to clean, renewable energy is essential to protecting public health, reducing pollution, addressing climate change, and building a more sustainable future for all Michiganders. My commitment is to ensure that utilities and other energy systems continue moving toward clean and renewable energy sources that reduce our carbon footprint and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.
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 put policies in place to ensure that communities are protected and benefit when large-scale developments, such as data centers, are proposed in their neighborhoods. First, companies should be required to enter into long-term Community Benefits Agreements that provide tangible benefits, protections, and investments for the residents and municipalities affected by these projects. I also believe non-disclosure agreements that limit public awareness should be removed from the development process. Residents deserve transparency and should have a clear understanding of what is being built, how it will operate, and the potential impacts on their community before decisions are made. The environmental aspect of these projects is critical because of their long-term effects on ecosystems, wildlife, natural resources, and human health. The State has a responsibility to provide strong oversight, conduct thorough environmental reviews, and monitor the long-term impacts of these facilities to ensure communities and natural habitats are protected. Additional guardrails are needed, particularly regarding water use. Data centers consume significant amounts of water, and I support requiring closed-loop water systems, water purification technologies, and water diversion and reuse strategies that serve a beneficial purpose and minimize waste. Companies should be held accountable for managing water responsibly and reducing their impact on local water resources. These companies should also pay their fair share for property acquisition, water abstraction, infrastructure demands, and other public costs associated with their operations. In addition, they should be required to utilize renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies to reduce emissions, lessen strain on the electrical grid, and protect the health and quality of life of surrounding residents. Michigan can welcome innovation and economic development while maintaining transparency, environmental stewardship, and accountability. Strong community protections and responsible oversight will ensure that growth benefits both businesses and the people who call these communities home.
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 single most important step an officeholder in this position should take on PFAS during the next term is to accelerate the identification and cleanup of communities and sites with high levels of PFAS contamination. Michigan residents deserve clean drinking water, safe environments, and a comprehensive strategy to address the long-term health and environmental impacts of these harmful chemicals. In addition to cleanup efforts, we must work to reduce the sources of PFAS contamination. This includes strengthening regulations on the use of PFAS in manufacturing and consumer products, encouraging safer alternatives, and holding polluters accountable for contamination rather than shifting the costs onto taxpayers. I also believe we need to improve our recycling and waste management systems and reduce our dependence on single-use plastics and other materials that contribute to environmental pollution. Investing in sustainable materials, reusable products, and healthier alternatives can help prevent toxic contaminants from entering our waterways, soil, food systems, and ultimately our bodies. Protecting public health requires a proactive approach that combines cleanup, prevention, accountability, and innovation. By addressing existing contamination while reducing future sources of pollution, we can safeguard Michigan's water, environment, and communities for generations to come.
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 support requiring Michigan regulators to assess cumulative environmental and health impacts on overburdened communities before approving new permits for polluting facilities. For too long, many communities particularly Black, Brown, and low-income neighborhoods have been forced to bear a disproportionate share of environmental burdens, often facing multiple sources of pollution at the same time. Environmental justice requires more than evaluating a single project in isolation. Regulators should consider the combined effects of existing industrial facilities, traffic corridors, air pollution, water contamination, and other environmental hazards when making permitting decisions. Assessing cumulative environmental and health impacts provides a more complete picture of the challenges residents face and helps prevent additional harm to communities that are already overburdened.
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 should play a greater role in holding utility companies accountable for rate hikes and rising energy costs. Michigan families are struggling with increasingly unaffordable utility bills while many utility companies continue to generate substantial profits. Residents deserve transparency, accountability, and a meaningful voice in decisions that directly affect their household budgets and quality of life. I support policies such as a Ratepayers' Bill of Rights that would strengthen consumer protections, increase transparency in rate-setting processes, and ensure that utility customers are treated fairly. Ratepayers should have access to clear information, meaningful opportunities to participate in regulatory proceedings, and protections against unjustified rate increases. I also support efforts to reduce the influence of corporate money in Michigan politics through reforms and ballot initiatives that increase transparency and accountability in campaign financing. Decisions about utility rates, energy policy, and public resources should be driven by the public interest, not by the influence of large corporate donors. Affordable, reliable utilities are essential services, and elected officials have a responsibility to ensure that utility companies are accountable to the people they serve. I will continue to advocate for policies that protect consumers, promote affordability, and put the needs of Michigan residents ahead of corporate profits.
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?
My position on the future of Line 5 is clear: its time has expired, and it should be shut down. Michigan is home to one of the largest freshwater systems in the world, and we have a responsibility to protect these waters for current and future generations. The risks associated with an aging pipeline operating in and around the Great Lakes are simply too great. A spill or leak could have devastating consequences for our drinking water, wildlife, ecosystems, tourism economy, and communities that depend on these resources every day. Protecting the Great Lakes is not only an environmental issue—it is a public health, economic, and quality-of-life issue. We must prioritize the safety of our freshwater resources and invest in cleaner, safer energy alternatives that do not put our water at risk. As elected officials, our responsibility is to safeguard Michigan's greatest natural asset. I support shutting down Line 5 and pursuing energy solutions that protect our water, our environment, and the wildlife that depend on healthy ecosystems. Michigan's freshwater resources are too valuable to gamble with, and we must act accordingly.
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 water is a human right, and every person deserves access to safe, clean, and affordable water. No family should have to worry about whether water will be available when they turn on the tap. I support legislation that caps water bills for low-income Michiganders to ensure that the cost of this essential resource does not place an unreasonable burden on working families, seniors, and those living on fixed incomes. Access to water should be based on human need, not the ability to pay increasingly unaffordable rates. I also support ending water shutoffs for residents who are struggling financially. Water is necessary for drinking, cooking, sanitation, hygiene, and overall public health. When families lose access to water, the consequences can be devastating for their health, dignity, and quality of life. Michigan has abundant freshwater resources, and we have a responsibility to ensure that every resident can afford and access this basic necessity. I will continue to advocate for policies that make water affordable, prevent shutoffs, and recognize water as the fundamental human right that it is.
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
Michigan is not a polluter's dumping ground. We have a responsibility to conserve and preserve our land, protect our natural resources, and ensure a healthy environment for future generations. I support policies that prioritize waste reduction, recycling, reuse, and sustainable materials management to decrease our reliance on landfills and reduce environmental contamination. By investing in stronger recycling programs and promoting responsible waste management practices, we can protect valuable land resources while reducing our environmental footprint. Those who contaminate our communities and natural resources should be held accountable. I strongly support the polluter-pays principle, which requires the individuals and corporations responsible for contamination to bear the cost of cleanup rather than shifting that burden onto taxpayers and affected communities. Michigan's residents deserve clean land, clean water, and healthy neighborhoods. I will support efforts to identify contaminated sites, accelerate cleanup and remediation projects, and hold polluters responsible for restoring the environments they have damaged. Protecting our land is not only an environmental obligation it is an investment in public health, economic development, and the quality of life of every Michigander.