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. PFAS — Contamination, 2) Carbon-based climate change, 3) groundwater contamination.
2. PFAS — This forever chemical contamination has caused immense harm to many communities, and the damage must be remediated.
3. Carbon Emissions — which can help end our planet’s addiction to carbon fuels.
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 this law as Michigan must continue on the path to 100% clean energy. I will strongly oppose any efforts to slow down our transition.
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 government must provide strong oversight of all data center development. This includes: 1) Not providing any tax abatements, subsidies, or waivers of environmental standards; 2) Making sure that the data center owners make full payment of all necessary infrastructure upgrades; and 3) Frequent inspections to make sure that their water usage disposal does not include any contaminants.
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 would be for the officeholder to support legislation such as the “Hazardous Products Act” bill package that was introduced in May 2026.
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
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, state legislators must ensure that Michigan laws that hold utility companies accountable must be both in place and enforced.
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?
Government, company, and environmental leaders must work on an alternative delivery route for those crude oil and natural gas liquids
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, I would support legislation that makes water access affordable to all Michiganders.
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 support legislation to hold polluters accountable, as we must make it clear that it is unprofitable to pollute.