Raymond Seigfried
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?
To protect Delaware residents from rising electricity costs and grid reliability risks driven by AI-driven data center growth, I support policies that prevent corporate energy burdens from being socialized onto everyday ratepayers. This includes establishing strict Public Service Commission oversight and special tariffs for high-energy facilities, requiring tech operators to fund necessary grid infrastructure and transmission upgrades directly, bringing rigor and transparency to regional PJM load forecasting, and collaborating regionally to advocate for wholesale market reforms that keep power affordable and reliable.
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?
To help Delaware’s coastal communities respond to increasing tidal flooding and sea level rise, I support a proactive, science-driven resilience strategy. This includes investing in nature-based solutions like wetland restoration and living shorelines to naturally absorb storm surges, updating state infrastructure and building codes to withstand higher water baselines, and incorporating NOAA and local data projections directly into municipal land-use planning. Additionally, I support empowering local governments with technical and financial resources (such as expanding participation in FEMA’s Community Rating System) to protect vulnerable properties, secure evacuation routes, and safeguard our coastal economy without placing an unfair burden on local taxpayers.
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?
To address youth substance use and counter the decline in perceived risk, I support modernizing our prevention strategies with evidence-based education. We need robust, peer-reviewed prevention programs in our schools that provide accurate information regarding the physiological impacts of high-potency products, synthetic drugs, and cannabis on developing brains. Furthermore, I support directing state resources to expand youth mental health services, early intervention counseling, and after-school community programs that address the root causes of substance use, ensuring our schools and public health agencies work hand-in-hand to keep students safe.