Jeremy Ferderber
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?
Yes, Pennsylvania should absolutely restrict PFAS in consumer products, and I support HB 2145 and Representative Scott’s efforts to help protect Pennsylvanians against these forever chemicals.
The scientific evidence of the myriad risks to human (and environmental) health is extensive, and even the current administration’s EPA and NIH acknowledge the dangers. One needn’t look far to learn that PFAS are real, are ubiquitous, and are dangerous especially to younger individuals; and while this proposed legislation may not address ALL sources of PFAS (their use in industrial, military, firefighting, and aeronautical applications are based in safety), it will significantly reduce the potential exposure to humans and therefore to our ecosystem.
Hopefully this will result in a measurable reduction in PFAS in the coming years. My decision will be based on scientific research from trusted institutions at the local, state, and federal (from reputable, non-politically-biased) levels.
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 feel that this presents a valuable opportunity to show those concerned communities the power of science and evidence-based facts regarding the efficacy of vaccines. The correlation in decreased vaccination rates and increased measles cases seems to be fairly straightforward, and being transparent with those data should help to re-gain the trust of individuals who have grown wary of vaccines.
By hopefully invoking the help of legislators with a medical background, this trust can be fortified. By increasing visibility through public media campaigns and through educational curricula, we can reignite the need for awareness that will hopefully result in sensible vaccinations for measles and other seemingly “once cured” infectious diseases. I would support policies that inform and educate the citizens, by engaging with the medical community rather than policymakers with potential special interests.
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?
As a candidate with an agricultural background, I personally understand the importance and the frailty of our agricultural institutions. I would fully support funding for dedicated research programs throughout the state aimed at a collaborative effort to study, track, and effectively communicate in a rapid response manner. Ideally, this would be combined with educational outreach programs available (perhaps through agricultural extension programs at state universities) to those in the agricultural fields to help mitigate potential disasters and to work collectively should an outbreak occur.
I would also support legislation to financially protect farmers and others in the agricultural community (outside of just poultry and dairy operations) during times of hardship caused by forces of nature; we need our farmers to help keep food on our plates.
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?
I would re-introduce incentives for residents and businesses to install and adopt alternative energy sources in our state. I would commit to doing whatever possible within my power to fully support the statewide implementation of projects aimed at developing renewable energy sources, ranging from geothermal energy to wind and solar farms and everything in between.
We simply cannot continue to be fully reliant on fossil fuels, whether as a result of the obvious environmental impacts, or the fickle nature of its availability (and therefore its potential to cripple the world’s economy, as we’ve witnessed with the unnecessary war in Iran). Nuclear energy can be further developed, but the inherent risks it carries simply do not exist with renewable energy sources that can also be developed. Our new generation of a workforce should be aimed at development of a re-envisioned energy future rather than that of a tired and troubled past one.
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?
The corporate efforts to exponentially grow data centers, whether used for AI or other purposes, are simply that: corporate, and profit-driven. Therefore, these projects should result in NO costs and minimal burdens to the public where they are being constructed.
I support legislation that requires full transparency of the projects and their reporting, with local municipalities being able to have a say in the process of development. Requirements for zero impacts to the local resources, such as the energy grid or available water resources, should be adhered to, and preference should be given to those companies willing and able to develop on properties with existing infrastructure (or brownfield sites), implementing and incorporating the use of renewable energy resources (such as geothermal energy) and/or bringing their own clean energy generation.
While I recognize the inevitability of increased data centers and the growth of AI, it is the job of legislators to ensure that the public is not adversely impacted by this growth, and it is my duty to ensure that future innovation is balanced with conservation.