Michael Walker
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 would use peer-reviewed publications and medical journals to determine how PFAS are affecting people and the best course of action to deal with this issue. I believe the use of PFAS should be restricted and studied until we fully understand their effects on people and our environment.
KEYWORDS: Peer-reviewed data and scientific study
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?
The decline in vaccinations is primarily due to the spread of misinformation. I would propose a public service outreach program to raise awareness regarding the truth about the safety of vaccines and how important it is for everyone to be vaccinated.
KEYWORDS: Education, outreach, truth
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 PA’s HPAI Recovery Fund and the implementation of increasing biosecurity measures for commercial and backyard producers. I would support supplying personal protective equipment to producers to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
KEYWORDS: HPAI Recovery Fund
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 support a push to install solar panels above large parking lots. I believe renewable energy production is a burgeoning industry in PA that should nurtured and encouraged alongside our current energy production.
KEYWORDS: Renewable energy growth
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?
I do not believe the public should have to subsidize the building of data centers. I see no long term benefits for our communities that would justify imposing the cost of data center building and operations on the public. They are private corporations and should pay their own bills.