Krista Anderson
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, PFAS should be restricted in PA. I would rely on recent scientific studies and agencies that rely on valid scientific studies including numerous universities, NIH, EPA, FDA, DOD, ASDWA, ITRC, ECOS, and ERIS, etc. As an elected official, I would support policies and legislation that promote public health safety. It is important that HB 2145 receives similar support in the PA Senate as it did the PA House of Representatives.
KEYWORDS: Scientific studies, PFAS, restricted, HB 2145, Senate
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?
Referring to the science behind vaccine efficacy and best approaches to vaccine hesitancy, as an elected official, I would work with local, cultural, and faith leaders as models of vaccination confidence. Also, countering vaccination misinformation using proven data is essential. Four people have died in PA, epicenter of the measles outbreak, and these deaths could have been preventable. Hundreds in PA, mostly all unvaccinated, have become sick with the measles. While mild reactions may occur after vaccination, the instances of severe adverse reactions occurring are very few. For vaccinations in general, severe adverse reactions occur from 1:100,000 to 1:1,000,000 doses (Biomedicines, 2023). The WHO provides reaction sheets for various vaccines. Vaccinations build immunity which help save lives. As an elected official, I’ll also model vaccine confidence and support efforts that reduce vaccine hesitancy and support public health safety.
KEYWORDS: Vaccine, efficacy, hesitancy, confidence, misinformation, measles, preventable, reactions, Biomedicines, WHO
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?
The PA Dept. Of Agriculture and the USDA APHIS program provide set procedures to prevent the spread of bird flu. This includes bio-security practices, preventing wild bird contact, water/food security, sanitizing requirements, and quarantine/monitoring, to name a few. As an elected official, I would work with stakeholders in this effort and continue supporting current legislation (HB324, funding for testing, prevention, and recovery) thereby ensuring that PA farmers have what they need to be successful while protecting food safety.
KEYWORDS: PDA, USDA APHIS, required practices, stakes, funding, HB324, farmers, successful
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?
As an elected official, I’ll promote and support hybrid energy solutions. I see space for various energy sources including renewable energy in PA. This includes support for HB’s 2277 and 2275, resulting in rebates for PA electricity users, creating an estimated 15,000 energy jobs, and smart investments in clean, reliable energy. More current data provided by EIA indicates that PA is now 3rd in the U.S. in terms of energy production behind TX and NM. But, we have yet to realize our future energy production capacity by including renewable energy sources. This could include expediting approvals for hybrid energy production, repurposing no longer used fossil fuel locations, maximizing grants, etc.
KEYWORDS: Hybrid energy, renewable energy, fossil fuels, HB 2277, HB 2275, rebates, jobs, investments, repurpose, grants
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?
As an elected official, I would support a moratorium until more is known about the human and environmental impacts by data centers. I also support the requirements of HB 2151 as well as local municipalities updating their municipal planning codes (MPCs). The York County Planning Commission’s updated MPC is a template for other municipalities as well. We should ensure that data center developers do not receive financial incentives, no fast tracking, that decommissioning and remediation costs be posted in the form of an irrevocable escrow or similar mechanism, independent monitoring for environmental and human impacts with substantial monetary fines for violations. I do not recommend that being the first state with the most data centers is a sound approach to these facilities. I do recommend that extensive research is needed before proceeding with construction of these facilities. Resident input is crucial at the local level and at all levels.
KEYWORDS: Moratorium, HB 2151, MPC, independent monitoring, human, environment, monetary fines, violations resident input