Paul R. F. Schumacher
DemocraticQ1 If elected, in what capacities would you refer to scientists when you are deciding how to vote on a policy?
“As a scientist, I am all too aware of the failure to consult experts on public policy. We should be consulting researchers in their area of expertise for any policy, including social scientists and economists to get the consensus of what the effects of our policies would be.”
KEYWORDS: Scientific Consensus Expertise
Q2 Recently H.J. Res 140 passed, overturning a 20-year mining ban in the National Forest System land surrounding the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. What is your position on mining projects in this region and what policies, if any, would you support to protect the surrounding watershed?
“Mining industries in the US have a horrendous track record of despoiling the environment and leaving behind the mess for the public to clean up. Any mining project that is proposed should be subject to strict scrutiny by independent environmental experts, not industry lobbyists. Natural resources belong to all people, and those extracting them have the responsibility to do so without impacting the environment negatively.”
KEYWORDS: Independent Experts
Q3 Contamination from PFAS and other “forever chemicals” in 21 community water systems in Minnesota exceed national regulations, putting residents at risk of negative health impacts. What policies, if any, do you propose to protect Minnesota residents from the potential impacts of PFAS?
“If this is the case, we need to increase our efforts at detecting these chemical pollutants and tracking down their sources (by hiring appropriate environmental experts). Industries need to pay for the cleanup of the messes they cause and substantial fines (as percentages of revenue) need to be levied against them if they continue, so they don’t write off the minor fines they pay now as “cost of doing business”.”
KEYWORDS: Detect, Trace, Fine
Q4 There have been multiple hyperscale data centers proposed throughout the state, including one currently under construction. What policies and regulations, if any, do you support to assess and act on the potential impacts of these data centers?
“As with any industry, the creation of an industrial workspace can have huge negative impacts on the people around them and the environment. We need to have independent environmental experts weigh in on this impact (not industry shills) and proceed accordingly. I have nothing against data centers per se, but they can’t be allowed to create noise hazards or deplete water resources. (And that should be true of every industry.)”
KEYWORDS: Independent Experts
Q5 In 2025 alone, the National Institute on Health (NIH) awarded over $700 million for research grants and contracts to Minnesota universities, which directly supported over 7,000 jobs and $1.79 billion of economic activity in Minnesota. What policies, if any, do you plan to implement or support regarding funding for continued science research either at the state or federal level?
“As a member of the state legislature, it would be necessary to make sure that our state and educational systems are properly set up to be in compliance with funding guidelines and reporting, and to make sure funds are spent appropriately. We should be careful to fund research at institutions of learning and make sure we’re not funding private profit.”
KEYWORDS: Compliance, Auditing, Public
Q6 Fatal drug overdoses in Minnesota have significantly declined in recent years, representing a 28% drop from a record peak of 1,392 overdose deaths in 2022. However, compared to White Minnesotans, Indigenous Minnesotans are 7 to 15 times more likely to experience a fatal drug overdose, while Black Minnesotans are 2 to 3 times more likely to die from a drug-related overdose. What policies, if any, do you support to continue the downward trend of overdose deaths for Minnesotans?
“We should follow the European model which has proven to work so well in Portugal and other places by decriminalizing addiction and treating it as the mental and physical health emergency it is, instead of a criminal matter. Furthermore, we can reduce addiction by improving the general support for the poor and unhoused. Addiction is most frequent amongst those segments of the population, and improving the general welfare will have its own amelioration effect on addiction.”
KEYWORDS: Treatment, Decriminalize, Support