Chris Bloomquist

I believe AI has potential, but it needs much stronger oversight and regulation. I support requiring community consent before new AI data centers are built, and I believe they should use clean energy, upgrade local power infrastructure, and minimize their environmental impacts, including high energy and water use. I support moratoriums on new data centers where appropriate, environmental impact studies, and greater transparency about AI’s carbon footprint.

I also support taxing AI data centers, and to a lesser extent AI users—, with the revenue invested in environmental, scientific, and educational initiatives. I believe big tech companies should be held accountable, prioritize human employment over AI where possible, use local union labor to build AI infrastructure, and keep AI out of schools to protect students’ critical thinking and learning. Overall, I support AI development only if it is accompanied by strong safeguards, environmental responsibility, and public accountability.

What are your top funding priorities for environmental projects and research in our state? If you do not have specific priorities, how would you approach setting those priorities to ensure effective environmental stewardship?

It starts with what we have done already, the Climate Commitment Act. We had it approved and implemented and had to steal funds from it for other things. I agree with cap and invest and having good incentives for environmental work. Also, I would like to make hiring a priority for the green economy including solar wind and other clean energy sources. This is a good way to put trades people to work. We also need to talk about economic development and environmental justice. What we need is to put people who are being laid off by big tech to work in green jobs such as updating our energy infrastructure. For example, we can put trades people to work updating our sewer system. If we do it right, we have a chance like FDR who invested so much in infrastructure projects. I’d like to see government programs where we incentivize municipalities to update systems for the benefit of society, which will also help with the affordability. This will put people to work and lower costs of utilities.

I believe improving science literacy starts with fully funding K–12 education. I also believe civics education is essential because understanding how government works, how to vote, and how public policy is shaped helps students engage with science-informed decision-making.

I support hands-on, experiential science education that connects students to the natural world. This includes teaching topics like food systems, carbon footprints, and environmental stewardship through community gardens, outdoor learning, overnight nature trips, and trail maintenance. I believe these experiences help students better understand science, build a stronger relationship with nature, and see themselves as part of the environment rather than separate from it.

I believe wildfire policy should be guided by scientific experts, including the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), local fire managers, and Tribal communities with generations of knowledge about fire stewardship. I support investing in better forest management, including reducing hazardous underbrush, expanding wildfire prevention efforts, and ensuring DNR has the staffing and resources needed to respond to longer and more severe fire seasons.

I also support investing in ecosystem restoration and resilience so landscapes can better recover from wildfire over time. While I am still learning about this issue, I am committed to working with experts to develop evidence-based solutions and ensuring Indigenous voices are included in wildfire management decisions.

I support rebuilding scientific capacity at agencies like NOAA and ensuring fisheries managers have a strong voice in policymaking. I believe healthy fisheries depend on healthy ecosystems, so I support funding scientific monitoring and research to better understand and respond to changes such as warming waters, ocean acidification, and ecosystem shifts.

I would take a collaborative approach by bringing together commercial and recreational fishers, Tribal nations, scientists, municipalities, and conservation stakeholders to develop sustainable fisheries policies. I also believe we should coordinate with international partners and enforce environmental protections to hold bad actors accountable while helping Washington’s coastal communities adapt to changing marine conditions.