No on 2117 Campaign Announces New Endorsements As Unprecedented Statewide Coalition Grows to Over 200 Organizations

June 6, 2024 – No on 2117 (no2117.com), the campaign to defeat I-2117, announced new endorsements today and that it has expanded its unprecedented statewide coalition of Tribal Nations, labor unions, companies, environmental groups, and community organizations to over 200 organizations, doubling the size of the coalition since its public launch in April 2024.

New endorsers of the No on 2117 campaign include: AAA Washington, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, American Farmland Trust, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, League of Women Voters, the Puyallup Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, the Seattle Foundation, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, SEIU 775, SEIU 925, the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, Woodland Park Zoo, Washington State Catholic Conference, Washington State Labor Council, and the Washington State Medical Association.

You can view the full list of organizations endorsing No on 2117 here: https://no2117.com/our-coalition/.

The total amount raised or pledged to defeat I-2117 now exceeds $12 million. To date, the No on 2117 campaign has nearly 3,000 grassroots donors, and 95 percent of donations to No on 2117 are $100 or less.

If passed, I-2117 would allow more pollution and cut investments in clean air and water, forests and farmland, jobs and transportation. I-2117 would cut investments in:

• Clean air and water, like programs to reduce toxic air and water pollution that endangers our families and communities;

• Preventing wildfires, including funding for local governments to prepare against fires;

• Transportation programs, putting transit service, ferries, and road projects across Washington at risk and making traffic worse;

• Support for Tribal nations, like programs to help keep Native communities safe from flooding and sea level rise;

• Programs that lower costs for Washingtonians, like utility bill discounts for households with low incomes;

• Farmland, farmers, and ranchers, like programs that support farmers’ and ranchers’ sustainable practices; and,

• Fish habitat and salmon recovery, like grants to remove barriers that hurt migrating salmon.

“Tribal Nations, labor unions, companies, environmental groups, and community organizations across our state are united to defeat I-2117. Our 200 coalition members and their communities know how costly I-2117 would be for Washington: More pollution and more traffic, and fewer protections for clean air and water, forests and farmlands, and jobs and transportation investments,” said Wellesley Daniels, Campaign Manager for No on 2117. “We are working with our coalition members to organize in every community and talk to Washingtonians about the costs of I-2117 to them and their families. We hope Washingtonians will join our coalition and pledge to vote no on I-2117 to help make Washington a beautiful, healthy place to live, work and do business.”

What New Members of the No on 2117 Coalition Are Saying

“I-2117 would do great harm to Tribes in Washington State. It would threaten funding for transit projects on Tribal lands, curtail salmon recovery efforts and end funding for addressing health disparities such as modernizing tribal school infrastructure. By defeating I-2117, we can protect the lands, cultures, and traditional ways of our region for generations to come,” Leonard Forsman, President, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.

“Initiative 2117, prohibiting all state agencies, counties, and cities from implementing any type of carbon tax credit trading, if passed, would prevent the state from achieving the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set in 2020, which are necessary to deter further climate change impacts. The state would lose a significant funding source for implementing programs to correct past environmental damage and injustice resulting from lack of scientific perspective, short-sighted or poor policy creation and implementation, and unintended consequences,” said the League of Women Voters Washington.

“I-2117 would hurt Washington’s farmers and ranchers and the working lands across Washington State that sustains us,” said Addie Candib, Pacific Northwest Regional Director for American Farmland Trust. “If passed, I-2117 would remove a critical funding source for programs that can help farmers and ranchers maintain viable businesses while also prioritizing land stewardship. Passage of I-2117 would threaten climate-smart dairy practices, water quality improvements, and soil health investments. We are proud to be part of this growing coalition working to protect Washington’s future.”

By The Numbers: The Effort to Defeat 2117

Over 200: Number of Washington organizations endorsing No on 2117

Over $12M: Amount raised or pledged to defeat I-2117

Nearly 3,000: Number of grassroots donors to No on 2117

95: Percent of No on 2117 donors contributing $100 or less

About No on 2117

At a time of extreme political division, the No on I-2117 campaign is bringing together Washingtonians from across the state to stop the rollback of protections for our air and water, forests and farmlands, jobs and transportation investments. We’re an unprecedented coalition of over 200 Tribal Nations, labor unions, companies, environmental groups, and community organizations coming together to fight I-2117 because so much is at stake. Join us to fight for your community: no2117.com.

 

###