Community Leaders Oppose Purposely Misleading Initiative 2117, Which Does Nothing to Lower Energy Costs for Washingtonians

August 1, 2024 – Community organizations across Washington state oppose Initiative 2117, which does nothing to lower energy costs for Washington families and small businesses.

I-2117 cuts funding for vital programs that help to reduce costs for households, including programs that support energy-efficient cooling and heating systems for families, Tribes, and small businesses, as well as programs that lower utility costs for low- and middle-income households and seniors.

“Many of the communities we work with live in homes with limited insulation and in neighborhoods with minimal tree cover, which exacerbates the effects of heatwaves, leaving low-income families with higher energy bills,” said Marcy Bowers, Executive Director, Statewide Poverty Action Network. “I-2117 would gut programs that support energy-efficiency and affordability solutions, further straining families’ budgets. The misleading initiative would do nothing to lower energy costs for families and workers, and we urge communities throughout Washington to join us and vote NO on I-2117.”

“At Food Lifeline, we understand the connection between issues like energy costs, economic stability, and food security,” said Aaron Czyzewski, Director of Advocacy & Public Policy at Food Lifeline. “We know that when families are forced to choose between paying their utility bills and buying groceries, it’s not really a choice at all. That’s why we oppose I-2117. We believe in a Washington where everyone has enough to eat and no one has to choose between keeping the lights on and feeding their family.”

In July, for the first time in Washington, temperatures soared to an average high of 80 degrees for 17 consecutive days statewide. The situation was the most severe in the Tri-Cities, where residents endured two weeks of 100-degree heat.

Yet I-2117 would cut support for critical cost-saving electrification and energy efficiency efforts for households and small businesses, including programs that:

• Help families and small businesses install high efficiency electric equipment such as heat pumps and air conditioning units;
• Enhance existing federal and State programs that help low and middle-income families, small businesses, and seniors access cost-saving appliances, receive support with their energy bills, and weatherize their homes and businesses against inclement weather;
• Install heat pumps in Adult Family Homes, which serve seniors and people with disabilities;
• Support cost-saving energy efficiency among Tribal Nations and communities; and
• Helping tenants of affordable multi-family homes make energy upgrades to save money and conserve energy.

Households and small businesses would experience significant cost increases if I-2117 passes and these programs are cut.

To learn more about projects that would be cut by I-2117, visit Clean & Prosperous Institute’s Risk of Repeal map, which provides robust data on the impacts of the initiative, including transportation, air quality, and restoration for rivers, streams, and lakes.

Over 350 organizations and Tribes oppose I-2117 and have endorsed the No on 2117 campaign (no2117.com), including firefighters, small businesses, Tribal Nations, doctors and public health leaders, labor unions, and environmental groups. You can view the full list of organizations opposing I-2117 here.

The No on 2117 campaign has also recruited 850 volunteers in 25 counties across Washington state and launched a robust field organizing program, with organizers spread out across the state.