Bob Welch
RepublicanQ1 Data centers are a controversial part of America’s growing AI industry, supporting cutting-edge innovation and potential job creation, but raising issues of resource use and utility costs. New York now has a moratorium on data center construction. At the same time, state tax law grants tax exemptions to equipment and services used by data centers, which some proposed legislation would repeal. What do you see as the right balance of costs and benefits for new data center construction in New York, and how would your policies accomplish that balance?
NY cannot be left behind. AI is an inevitability that will impact many aspects of work and life in NY. NY needs to be competitive and bank a share of commerce, jobs and tax revenue created by these centers. NY’s moratorium is a joke. Where has Albany been for the last 5 years while this topic has been maturing.
The single sensitivity I have is, where will they source their electricity from? NY’s CLCPA has thrown our electric generation infrastructure into atrophy reducing supply and increasing costs. CLCPA and aggressive green bureaucracy effectively blocks data centers. Developers are willing to provide zero impact solutions. That is, co-locate electric power production to cover 125% or more of the centers peak use requirements. They will sell excess capacity back to the community at a discount to prevailing rates.
Albany’s moratorium is necessary to defend their green policies that block all new natural gas supply and electric plants. Both of these are required for data center developer to provide a zero community impact solution. (and we should pursue SMR nuclear as described below)
Local municipalities should have the authority to pursue zero impact solutions that benefit their communities.
Q2 New York currently generates about 47% of its energy from low carbon sources including nuclear, hydropower, and wind and solar, with the remainder coming from combustion sources (natural gas, oil, biofuel, and solid waste). While New York committed to shifting to low-carbon energy sources and emissions reductions in passing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), Governor Hochul recently moved to delay implementation of several components of the state’s climate law to December 31, 2028. As concerns about energy costs, reliability, and emissions grow, what energy sources would you prioritize, under what timeline, and what evidence would guide that decision?
Prioritize all, but for certain, stop blocking natural gas plants. New gas electric plants are far more efficient and cleaner. Gas plants provide reliable stable electricity to the grid that is essential to grid stability particularly during peak use times. This is the single quickest to market, safest, reliable solution available to us. We should also act quickly to begin development of 2 or 3 nuclear plants. Given long lead times on nuclear, slow development solar and wind, gas is the near term solution.
NY ISO reports tell us that NY generation capacity is shrinking, solar and wind cannot be built fast enough, solar and wind do not provide stable electric generation capacity and cannot replace nuclear or natural gas. The reports also tell us NY is on a dangerous path as black-out risk is increasing and destined to get worse. As we slowly and effectively build out solar and wind, we need to develop more gas. fired generation plants as well as add a few nuclear plants. As nuclear plants are opened, older less efficient natural gas plants can be retired. The urgency is mounting and that is probably why Hochul finally decided to delay the CLCPA green implementation timeline. I fear this is not enough as electric generation capacity will continue to decline without new natural gas capacity coming on-line.
Many states are well on their way to deploying nuclear power via small modular reactor (SMR) technology. NY needs to get on board with this proven nuclear tech as it is the cleanest solution available, portable, scalable, and safer and quicker to market (compared to traditional nuclear).
Q3 Young adults say that social media is their top source of science information, but acknowledge that it is less trustworthy compared to other sources. In addition, the widespread usage of social media and other sources of scientific information has resulted in the spread of misinformation that has spurred public education policies to curb it, such as a NYC vaccine misinformation legislation. What role should public education play in combatting misinformation and disseminating trustworthy, up to date scientific information to students and their families?
Standards for truth in advertising need to be applied to SM particularly when it puts children, and adults, at risk. I support legislation that would hold authors and distributors accountable for civil damages caused by misinformation as well as applying criminal penalties. I am not in favor of any legislation that impairs free speech or freedom of the press.
As the world around us changes so should our teaching techniques and curriculum. Schools should have a course covering a broad swath of social media ethics, fair practice, skepticism and awareness as it relates to posting, consumption and how to protect yourself. As they should for saving, investing, career and other impactful life disciplines and decisions.
Q4 Pesticides are widely used in food production to help manage pests and support crop yields, but ongoing debates over their safety have raised questions about their long-term use and led to proposals to restrict certain pesticides. What data and evidence will you use to weigh the role of these products in food security against safety concerns when shaping policy on their use in New York agriculture?
Follow the science, if it is bad for people, animals, the environment, appropriately restrict use.
We also need to examine the chemical additives we put in our foods. The rise of gastro-intestinal sensitivities and disorders is alarming.
Q5 New York has the second largest international student population of any U.S. state, the majority of which study in STEM fields. The federal government is pursuing largescale changes to student visa approval, including increased visa denials, revoking existing visas, restricting travel from certain countries, and decreasing student visa durations. How, if at all, should New York respond to federal visa changes affecting international STEM students and researchers, and the resulting projected changes in the scientific workforce supply?
Massive amounts of state and federal funding are poured into state, local and private schools. As such, I believe tax paying residents and their children should be our priority. Too many qualified resident STEM candidates are crowded out by international students. Higher education institutions favor international students as they pay full fare and often do not require any financial assistance. There is a balance to this formula of resident vs non-resident student population. Balancing a supply of student visa’s to the institution’s capacity and resident student supply is the correct approach. I think NY being 2nd highest state and concentrated in STEM is a problem that needs to be fixed. We are failing our children.
Q6 Extreme weather events are increasingly impacting farmland and food supplies across NY, including up to 30 million dollars in damages to farmer livelihoods. This has prompted the USDA to designate 30 counties in New York as Natural Disaster Areas. What policies, if any, would you support to help farmers adapt to and prepare for increasingly erratic weather?
Everything they ask for within reason. I would balance assistance against the need to retain agricultural capacity, create jobs, and promote healthy food sources for our communities.
The other question we need to ask ourselves is how many farm fields will we cover over with solar farms before we begin to examine that cost benefit metric.
Q7 Law enforcement agencies across New York have contracted with Flock to install Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras as a public safety tool. The technology is receiving pushback over concerns over privacy and data sharing, resulting in city councilors in Syracuse voting to remove Flock cameras. What are your views on accessibility and utilization of ALPR data by local and federal law enforcement, and what legislation, if any, would you propose governing how ALPR data is collected, stored, shared and retained?
Ensuring the privacy of personal data is of utmost importance, indisputable. Blocking the unauthorized monetizing of private data is also important. Public safety and the policing of communities needs to balance electronic collection of data against the first two pillars. Blocking ALPR’s is the wrong solution to the problem. If you have data use issues, solve those. Don’t take away an effective law enforcement tool that can materially benefit public safety.
Q8 Smoke from Canadian wildfires in recent summers has pushed New York air quality to unhealthy levels. The long-term consequences, if any, of these wildfires are unknown: Short-term data show a rise in asthma-related emergency department visits during smoke events, though some studies suggest the increase is comparable to that seen on high-pollen days. With extreme wildfire seasons projected to become more frequent as global temperatures rise, what measures, if any, do you think New York should invest in to prepare for future smoke events?
Communities already have solutions for extreme weather events such as warming and cooling centers. These could be modified to provide clean air.
Q9 New York is the second largest recipient of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Proposed federal budgets would significantly reduce NIH funds going to New York hospitals, universities, and research institutions. Where do you stand on the proposed changes to NIH funding levels, and what steps, if any, would you take to address their potential effect on New York’s research sector?
I cant count the number of NIH grants my wife applied for. Federal funding should have a role in supporting independent research.
I am running for State Assembly so my opinion or view toward a NIH funding solution is not as meaningful here. However, here is my perspective. NYS supports the State, City and Community College systems. I would not support taxpayer funds being directed to private institutions. As each state/city/community governance board allocates state funds into their budgets, they should apply an appropriate allocation to research. The reality is, in NY, the vast majority of NIH funding goes to private institutions, where is the equity in that. If we want to promote access, we need to direct some NIH funding to faculty and students of our public higher education system. The reality is if you want to get an advanced degree in any science, you are forced into institutions that have research funding. That is the grinder of the private school system (which appear to prioritize international students).
An even better question is; Why do scientists at these well healed institutions barely get paid? Why do medical resident students work 100 hour weeks across 50 weeks and get paid less then the janitor? Who would you trust to take care of you in the 23rd hour of a 24 hour shift?