Ben Waxman
DemocraticQ1 PFAS chemicals are widely used in consumer products but have raised health concerns due to their persistence in the environment and humans, and some Pennsylvanian legislators are considering restrictions on its use, such as in House Bill 2145. Should Pennsylvania restrict PFAS in consumer products? What scientific evidence would you use to inform your decision?
I believe that we should restrict the use of PFAS chemicals and I am a co-sponsor of HB 2145. I rely on the analysis of trusted environmental groups like Penn Environment and Food and Water Watch to inform my decision.
KEYWORDS: Yes trusted advisors
Q2 Measles vaccination rates in Pennsylvania have declined in recent years, from 95.5% in 2020 to 92.5% in 2025. At the same time, measles outbreaks have emerged across the state, with 62 confirmed cases in PA in 2026. As a policymaker, how do you approach engaging with communities that have concerns that center on infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety, and what policies, if any, would you support related to these issues?
I previous worked with a union representing healthcare workers who had similar concerns during COVID. The key is using trusted messengers to reach people where they are at to deal with concerns about vaccine safety. If you do that, you can address the concerns that people have.
KEYWORDS: trusted messengers
Q3 There have been avian influenza outbreaks in Pennsylvania, with potential impacts on poultry and dairy operations, both industries that provide billions of dollars of economic value to the state. What policies, if any, do you support to strengthen the state’s preparedness and outbreak response? Are there specific strategies you would prioritize to protect farm workers, agricultural communities, and the broader public?
I support sustained funding for rapid testing, laboratory capacity, veterinary response teams, and close coordination between agriculture and public health agencies. We should also help farms strengthen biosecurity and compensate producers for outbreak-related losses so they can report infections immediately.
Protecting workers must be central: free protective equipment and testing, multilingual health information, confidential symptom monitoring, and paid leave and medical care for anyone exposed or infected. Transparent public reporting and strong food-safety education will help protect agricultural communities and maintain public confidence.
KEYWORDS: Biosecurity, worker protection, rapid response
Q4 Pennsylvania is the nation’s second-largest producer of natural gas and nuclear energy, as well as the third-largest producer of coal, per the Energy Information Administration. In contrast, PA currently ranks 45th in the country in terms of wind, solar, and hydropower energy production. How do you think these energy sources should be distributed across PA’s energy production portfolio, and what policies, if any, would you support to facilitate this?
Pennsylvania should rapidly expand wind, solar, energy storage, and efficiency while reducing its dependence on coal and natural gas. I support stronger renewable-energy standards, faster permitting for responsible clean-energy projects, investments in the electric grid, and transition assistance for workers and communities affected by fossil-fuel decline. Nuclear power can continue to provide carbon-free reliability as we build a cleaner, more affordable energy system.
KEYWORDS: Renewable energy, just transition, grid modernization
Q5 Pennsylvania has proposed more reporting, utility oversight, and zoning guidance for large data centers, along with shifting some generation, capacity, and reliability costs onto data center developers rather than ordinary ratepayers. How should the costs and benefits of large data center development be divided between developers and the public, and what requirements, if any, would you support on power, water, and public reporting before a project moves forward?
Data center developers (not ordinary ratepayers) should pay the full costs of new power generation, transmission, water infrastructure, and grid upgrades required by their projects. Before approval, developers should disclose projected energy and water use, demonstrate access to reliable clean power, meet strong efficiency and water-conservation standards, and provide enforceable community benefits.
Public subsidies should be limited and tied to clear job, environmental, and consumer protections.
KEYWORDS: Developer responsibility, clean energy, public transparency