As climate shocks will continue to occur with greater frequency and intensity, Texas must continue to invest in community preparedness to save lives and reduce recovery costs and to help support more sustainable, resilient communities.
I will prioritize:
- Ensuring a reliable, safe, and sustainable water supply and investing the voter-approved $20 billion in environmentally sustainable water infrastructure solutions
- Expanding access to water and sewer systems among economically disadvantaged communities
- Investing in solar, wind energy, and battery storage and fighting Republican attempts to curtail clean energy
- Equipping communities to prepare for extreme weather events with warning systems for floods and fires and financial support to create community resilience hubs
- Investing in multimodal transportation solutions
- Improving reliability of Texas power grid
- Fending off legislative attacks on Austin’s municipally-owned utility
- Preserving and expanding open and green space
Taking strong actions in response to data centers: ending financial incentives, requiring renewable energy and storage as well as reclaimed water and closed-loop cooling systems, protecting ratepayers from bearing the infrastructure costs, and evaluating public health impacts
Trusted. Tested. Tough.
Texas faces big environmental challenges, and I’m prepared to be the environmental champion that House District 49 —and our state—needs. I'll be more than just a consistent vote for climate action; I'll be an environmental leader, just as I was during my three terms on the Austin City Council.
Among many other actions, I:
Defended the Save Our Springs ordinance regulating development in environmentally sensitive areas within the Barton Springs Zone of the Edwards Aquifer and/or within the recharge zone
In collaboration with Clean Water Action, the Sierra Club, and other environmentalists, initiated “Water Forward,” Austin’s 100-year water planning effort
Passed the Generation Plan and the Austin Climate Equity Plan to move Austin away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy
Defeated a proposal to turn over Austin Energy to an independent board, which could have compromised Austin’s commitment to clean energy
Supported public transit and historic investments in bikeways and sidewalks and opposed the I-35 expansion
Supported policies that extended watershed and creek protections to the Eastern watershed in 2012 and sponsored legislation to enhance erosion controls for the Colorado River
Required coordination between the fire department and watershed environmental teams after fire-fighting chemicals ran downhill into Shoal Creek and resulted in a widespread fish kill
Supported increased investments in energy efficiency and ensured renters would benefit from energy efficiency programs
Created requirement that private wells be registered so city could monitor impact on Edwards Aquifer and also ensure safety of city water system
Introduced policy to reduce single-use plastics by working with restaurant industry and delivery platforms to supply plastic cutlery only on request
After Winter Storm Uri, introduced plans to create resilience hubs throughout the city
