Pam Kohlmeier
DemocraticQ1 America has a growing artificial intelligence (AI) industry, supporting cutting edge innovation and reshaping businesses, but raising concerns about education, ownership, and security. Application of AI technology has increased the demand placed on data centers, controversial for their resource use (such as water and land) and raising utility costs. What are your policy positions in regards to data centers and AI? What sources of evidence informed these policies?
As a physician, attorney, and public health educator, I believe AI policy should be grounded in scientific evidence and transparency. AI has enormous potential to improve healthcare, education, scientific research, and economic productivity, and Washington should continue supporting innovation while keeping the public informed and protecting the public.
Data centers are critical infrastructure for AI, but they should be developed using evidence-based assessments of electricity demand, water use, land impacts, and long-term environmental sustainability. Large industrial users should pay for the infrastructure needed to support their operations, so costs are not shifted to residential ratepayers or small businesses.
Also, high-impact AI systems used in healthcare, education, employment, housing, and government should be independently evaluated for accuracy.
KEYWORDS: innovative, Chatbots, remote patient monitoring, ethical concerns, transparency issues, questionable accuracy
Q2 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?
As a physician and public health educator, I view environmental policy through the lens of protecting human health while ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested where they achieve the greatest measurable benefit. My priorities are safeguarding clean drinking water, reducing exposure to hazardous contaminants such as PFAS, preventing wildfire smoke-inhalation impacts, improving air quality, and protecting watersheds and forests that support healthy communities and a resilient economy.
I also support research that strengthens Washington’s resilience to climate change, including studies on extreme heat, wildfire risk reduction, sustainable agriculture, water availability, and ecosystem restoration. Investments should emphasize projects with measurable outcomes, peer-reviewed science, and partnerships among universities, Tribal Nations, local governments, and the private sector.
As a legislator, I would help ensure that funding decisions are guided by the best available scientific evidence, cost-effectiveness, public health impact, and long-term sustainability—not politics. Programs should include performance metrics and regular evaluation to ensure public funds are achieving meaningful environmental and economic benefits. Evidence-based stewardship protects both our natural resources and the health and prosperity of future generations.
KEYWORDS: clean water, clean air, recycling, green jobs, sustainability
Q3 What are your opinions on the current state of science literacy, and how could K-12 education standards be adapted to improve the public understanding of and relationship building in science?
Science literacy is essential for an informed democracy, a competitive workforce, and healthier communities. As a physician, attorney, and educator, I have seen how understanding the scientific method empowers people to evaluate evidence, distinguish credible information from misinformation, and make informed decisions. I have also witnessed failures.
Washington’s K-12 standards should place greater emphasis on scientific inquiry, critical thinking, data analysis, and media literacy rather than memorization alone. Students should learn how scientific knowledge evolves through testing, replication, peer review, and the willingness to revise conclusions when new evidence emerges. Hands-on laboratory experiences, and partnerships with universities, healthcare organizations, Tribal Nations, and local industries can make science relevant and inspiring.
KEYWORDS: literacy, equity, equal opportunity, public, life-long
Q4 The Bear Gulch Fire, one of 2000 recorded fires in 2025, was the biggest on the Olympic Peninsula in 70 years, burning over 20,000 hectares and causing $42 million in damages. What are your policies around fire risk management for the state?
As a physician and public health educator, I view wildfire policy as both an environmental and a public health priority. Wildfires threaten lives, homes, critical infrastructure, air quality, drinking water, and rural economies. Washington needs a science-based, proactive approach rather than simply responding after disasters occur.
I support increasing investments in evidence-based forest management, including strategic thinning, prescribed burning where appropriate, fuel reduction near communities, and restoration of fire-resilient forests. These efforts should be developed in partnership with Tribal Nations, whose traditional ecological knowledge has demonstrated the value of cultural burning practices.
As smoke-related illness increasingly affects children, older adults, and people with chronic disease, we should invest in clean-air shelters, school air filtration, and public health preparedness. I remember during one of the worst wildfire seasons since we relocated to Spokane in 2005 a high school student-athlete trying to compete in cross country struggling to breathe at various times during the season. This is a health risk and has become more the norm. This is also dangerous. Wildfire prevention efforts need to be ramped up to prevent secondary health-risk and loss of property (and lives).
KEYWORDS: Prevention, forest health, fire suppression, public safety
Q6 In 2021, the WA legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act, which has helped to reduce carbon pollution, but puts extra economic burden on farmers and agricultural distributors in the state. What policies would you support, if any, for helping farmers and distributors balance these costs while maintaining Washington’s commitment to environmental sustainability?
Washington must protect both our environment and our agricultural economy. Farmers are among the first to experience the impacts of climate change through drought, wildfire, extreme heat, and changing water availability, but they also operate on narrow margins and should not bear a disproportionate financial burden.
I support using Climate Commitment Act revenues to help farmers and agricultural distributors adopt cost-saving, lower-emission technologies, improve energy efficiency, expand renewable energy where practical, improve irrigation efficiency, and strengthen soil health and carbon sequestration.
Policies should be developed collaboratively with farmers, agricultural researchers, Tribal Nations, conservation organizations, and rural communities to ensure they are practical and evidence-based. We should also regularly evaluate the economic impacts of climate policies and make adjustments if unintended consequences threaten the competitiveness of Washington agriculture or increase food costs for consumers.
As a physician and public health educator, I believe environmental stewardship and agricultural prosperity are complementary goals. By investing in innovation, research, and practical solutions, Washington can reduce emissions while keeping our farms productive, competitive, and sustainable for future generations.
KEYWORDS: livestock, crops, irrigation, rural healthcare, resilience, tariffs, farmer suicides