Nicole Poore
DemocraticQ2 Delaware’s electricity is delivered through PJM interconnection, the regional grid operator for the mid-atlantic. Across the PJM region, electricity demand is rising in part due to large-scale data center development. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you support addressing the effects of AI-driven data center growth on electricity costs and grid reliability for Delaware’s residents?
AI-driven data centers present both opportunities and challenges for Delaware. They can bring investment and jobs, but they also raise legitimate concerns about electricity costs, grid reliability, and environmental impacts. Delawareans are already struggling with high electricity bills, and they shouldn’t be asked to subsidize data centers’ energy needs.
This session, I supported legislation that requires data center developers to generate all their own power within 10 years of opening, prevents them from utilizing job-creation tax credits, creates a separate large-load tariff so they pay a distinct electric rate and full infrastructure upgrade costs, and ensures they’re the first to be disconnected in a blackout. I sponsored legislation prohibiting state and local governments from using NDAs for large-scale data center projects so information about proposals with significant community impacts cannot be hidden from the public.
As additional projects are proposed, we must diligently evaluate their impacts on our electric grid, natural resources, and local infrastructure. If a project requires new electricity transmission, generation, or other infrastructure upgrades, the developer should bear those costs and not Delaware ratepayers.
Delaware welcomes responsible economic development, but not at the expense of our constituents’ electric bills or a reliable electric grid.
Q3 Federal agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) project that Delaware’s coastal communities face increasing risk of tidal flooding in the coming decades. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you support to help these communities respond to increased coastal flooding risk?
Our beaches, bays, wetlands, and coastline are some of Delaware’s greatest assets. They support our economy, provide recreational opportunities, protect ecosystems, and are home to many Delawareans. Preserving these resources means addressing the risks posed by sea level rise, particularly as the nation’s lowest-lying state.
Many of Delaware’s coastal communities are already experiencing increased flooding from sea level rise and more powerful storms. As a state senator, I work closely with DNREC and other experts to address flooding. Delaware must continue investing in evidence-based strategies to reduce flooding, including upgrading stormwater and drainage systems, improving land-use planning, and expanding nature-based solutions like wetland restoration and living shorelines that absorb storm impacts while protecting natural resources. These investments must reach the communities most vulnerable to flooding and be developed in partnership with residents.
While sea level rise and flooding cause challenges for coastal communities, increased flooding is not limited to the coastline. Communities across Delaware, including those in my district in New Castle County, are experiencing more frequent and severe flooding, causing washed-out roads, flash floods, and property damage. Meeting these challenges requires a statewide commitment while recognizing that solutions must be customized to the needs of impacted communities.
Q9 Delaware funds youth substance-use prevention programs through the Division of Public Health and the state budget. According to the 2024 Delaware School Survey, 26% of Delaware 11th graders perceive great risk in regular marijuana use, down from 50% in 1999. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you support to address substance use among young people in Delaware and ensure drug usage decline?
Substance use among young people can result in serious physical and mental health consequences, negatively impact academic performance, and increase the long-term risk for addiction and overdose. Any approach to addressing this topic must acknowledge that addiction is a complicated issue influenced by many factors, including mental health, trauma, and social determinants of health.
There is no single policy solution that will address this issue. Still, as a state senator, I believe our approach must be guided by the best available scientific evidence and by prevention and treatment strategies with proven effectiveness. I support increasing investment in age-appropriate, evidence-based strategies that help prevent substance use, including prevention and life-skills education in K-12 schools, expanded mental health supports for young people, and increased access to school-based health resources.
Any effective strategy will require collaboration among students, parents, schools, health care providers, and community organizations. Because substance use trends continuously evolve, our prevention and treatment strategies must be regularly informed by data and the experiences of young people and their families. Our goal should be to provide young people with the education and supports they need to make healthy, informed choices while ensuring those facing substance use challenges receive the care they need.