Julie von Haefen
DemocraticQ1 The cost of electricity and water are on the rise with nearby data centers straining current resources in combination with increased energy costs to consumers. How will you navigate the economic, public health, and environmental impacts when considering new data centers and data center permissions, in general?
I believe that companies taking part in constructing new data centers are seeking to exploit inadequate and outdated regulations with no regard for their long term viability or for how to reduce negative community and environmental impacts. Other communities are placing moratoriums on data center construction to protect themselves, and I hope to see the same in NC. A moratorium on data center construction is vital to ensure we can protect NC and its citizens from exploitation by corporations. In particular, I want to see robust noise and environment impact regulations, including strong protections against noise pollution.
Q2 North Carolina is a growing hub for science and biotechnology industry and education. How will you ensure science workforce preparedness in community-based institutions like K–12 schools and community colleges across our state?
Overall, North Carolina needs to do a better job at funding public education. The state’s priority should be raising teacher pay and making sure every classroom is equipped with the tools students need to learn. We have to make sure our classrooms are equipped with up to date technology in order to foster a student’s love for science, and provide them with opportunities to see science in action through field trips, labs and hands-on learning. Public schools prepare our future workforce and we must do all we can to ensure every student, regardless of zip code, has exposure to science careers and workforce development opportunities.
Q3 What steps, if any, do you believe government should take to protect public health and community wellbeing (e.g., vaccine access, environmental health risks such as PFAS or asbestos, disease prevention, or emergency preparedness)?
I believe that a government’s role is to better the current state of public health and community wellbeing. We should be delegating more funding toward social services that ensure all people have access to healthcare and information regarding being up to date on their vaccinations. We should always prioritize clean air and water, by doing our best to eliminate pollution risks such as PFAS. In the House, I have been a strong supporter of bills that make it unlawful to use, process, or distribute PFAS in North Carolina, and have always supported the introduction of new drinking water protections when they come across my desk. Combatting climate change through investing in clean energy programs is one of the only methods that will sustainably reduce the impact of future storms. In the meantime, ensuring that we have robust building codes and well funded infrastructure will help to prepare us for future weather-induced emergencies.
Q4 As the world is becoming more information dense, science mistrust has grown. How do you think elected officials can work with scientists to build the general public’s trust in science?
The issue of mistrust is one that is fixed through community, data, and education. I do my best to be as visible and accessible within my community and district as possible. I try to use my platform as a public official to post up-to-date and factually correct data online, and work with trusted organizations such as the NC Conservation Network, NC Environmental Justice Network, and the NC Department of Health and Human Services to make informed decisions when it comes to sponsoring and supporting legislation.