Nick Manganaro
RepublicanQ1 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 support legislation in cases where replicable scientific studies show direct harm from specific products. I oppose legislation based solely on innuendo and suspicions. I am not an expert on PFAS, but I have general concerns about the lasting effects of chemicals we take in that do not break down over time. Initial exposure may not be as dangerous as the cumulative effect from concentrations that accumulate in the body over time. Longitudinal animal studies should be able to model the risk of different exposure levels over time, within the framework of the experiments at least. As an aside, if PFAS are as dangerous as seems to be feared, I am surprised that the list of products in the sample bill is as short as it is. The list of items specifically not covered by the legislation is much longer than the list of those that are.
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?
While unvaccinated populations are clearly more at risk from measles, the US had become practically measles-free until 2023 when case numbers rose dramatically. There are those who blame the people who got sick for not being vaccinated (which may or not be true on an individual basis). However, I am prone to blame the recent bump in measles cases on the importation of millions of unvaccinated people from around the globe from places that have worse health and hygiene practices than we typically have in the US. I would revert to long-standing practices of health screening at the border and possible isolation of people with dangerous diseases until they recover. The practices of the US Government during the time of COVID damaged public trust in government institutions and in the administrators in positions to deal with health emergencies.
KEYWORDS: measles, immigration, trust
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 best measure to prevent avian flu from infecting the human population is for people to get an annual flu shot. While it will not be a perfect match for the avian flu, it will add antibodies to the humans’ immune system that may reduce the likelihood of severe infection. Farm workers should practice good hygiene by washing their hands and wearing masks when around birds that show signs of illness. Farmers should fend against non-domesticated fowl infecting their flocks and should take rapid steps to separate sick birds from the rest. Very few human deaths have been ascribed to avian influenza. Deaths do occur from inoculations, with some attributing thousands to the two different COVID vaccines rolled out under emergency measures. At this point, the balance seems to point to continuing current policies, rather than instituting a general inoculation for avian influenza.
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?
Appropriate energy diversification comes down to having reliable power at a reasonable price when you need it
When I worked at PG&E, we ran simulations using a dispatching model to identify the generation mix that best suited the demand profile over time and kept reliability high and prices as low as possible.
Generally speaking, wind and solar do not provide power at a high enough rate of availability to deserve a subsidized position in the power portfolio. Both create waste disposal problems at end of their useful lives that are often overlooked by their supporters.
Solar panels installed in the US also sit at the end of a supply chain that starts in China. I do not think we should be dependent on China for domestic US power production.
Hydropower is highly reliable and creates no exhaust which makes it more attractive to me than the other two you mentioned, but it is disfavored by many ecologists because of its effects on the fish populations, which makes it difficult to site.
Externalities matter for so-called green sources as well as for more conventional power production.
KEYWORDS: reliability, externalities, dependence
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 think a governmental body, either at the state or national level, should set reasonable code restrictions to lessen the burden on local communities who are being approached by data center (DC) developers.
The most likely constraints in PA seem to be that the DCs must bring their own electricity, reuse the water used in cooling, and either meet noise and vibration requirements, or commit to build in previously developed industrial areas where the noise would not be more disruptive than what was approved for the previous occupant. I support these constraints.
Part of bringing their own power would be paying for the infrastructure to connect to the electrical grid.
The developers must commit their own capital and must not have a governmental backstop for their liabilities.
Some citizens are concerned about an apparent lack of transparency in municipal decision making around data centers. Banning data center developers from seeking non-disclosure agreements from municipal citizens or officers would help preserve transparency in government and reduce the likelihood of graft.
KEYWORDS: responsibility, transparency