Join Us — Pledge to Vote Yes on 1631!
“Our way of life is being destroyed by climate change impacts such as rising seas, shrinking salmon runs, and wildfires that have been ignored by U.S. governments. 1631 makes it a statewide policy to invest in sustainable energy and natural resource protection especially in communities suffering from environmental degradation. Importantly, 1631 respects tribal treaties and promises justice for those who have least contributed to climate change but are most affected by it.”
— Johnny Buck, Native Youth Leadership Alliance
“From drought gripping the Horn of Africa to more heat waves and lung choking air in the Pacific Northwest, our loved ones are suffering from pollution and climate change. 1631 offers a model for taking on this grand challenge with the sense of urgency and justice it deserves: The largest polluters would pay a fee for cleaning up their mess and the most impoverished and polluted communities would get dedicated funding for clean energy and preserving our environment.”
— Bereket Kiros, Ethiopian Community Council
“My priorities for Yakima are to protect public safety, alleviate poverty, and support small businesses and jobs. 1631 achieves this by investing in job-creating green infrastructure, prioritized by local hiring and benefits accruing to low-income households. Importantly, 1631 reduces drought vulnerability, improves our wildfire response to save lives, offers farmers income to conserve soil, takes advantage of our abundant sunlight through funding large- and small-scale solar generation, and expands Yakima Transit to better serve my constituents. 1631 offers a future worthy of our children.”
— Yakima City Councilmember, Carmen Méndez
“As a lifelong advocate for social justice, I endorse I-1631. This initiative tackles climate change through the lens of communities bearing the heaviest burdens of air pollution, extreme weather events and roller-coaster gas prices that drain pocketbooks, but never Big Oil profits. Powerful corporations have sold a life-threatening product with impunity. I-1631 charges them a pollution fee that funds clean energy and environmental restoration. The upshot: green jobs, bill savings, and better living conditions for all through mandatory investments in projects benefiting socially disadvantaged communities.”
— Tony Lee, Co-Chair of King County Asian Pacific Islander Coalition & Former Advocacy Director of Solid Ground
“Tragically, Georgetown and South Park residents have a life expectancy that is 7 years less than the average in all of King County because of the heavy volume of industrial and freeway pollution that poisons the surrounding environment. 1631 would begin to address this unacceptable injustice through dedicating funds for more efficient and less polluting industrial manufacturing, zero emission cars and trucks, and green infrastructure that filters air and water pollution. 1631 would be an environmental and economic boon for our communities.”
— James Rasmussen, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition
“1631 is an important step towards realizing equity. This establishes clean air and water as a baseline for everyone, regardless of race. It’s no coincidence that neighborhoods largely populated by people of color face the worst environmental hazards as well as poorly funded schools, food deserts, and a dearth of economic opportunities. 1631 begins to uproot this foundational problem by dedicating investments in job-creating green infrastructure and K-12 climate education to benefit communities bearing the brunt of fossil-fuel pollution. Please vote Yes on Initiative 1631.”
— Yolanda Sinde, Founder/Former E.D. of Community Coalition for Environmental Justice
“Climate change is hurting our loved ones, everywhere as rising seas and typhoons batter the Asian Pacific Coast and Islands. Here in Washington, burning fossil fuels fills our air with poisonous gases that accumulates in the highest amounts, near major roadways where we mainly live. I currently work in Chinatown-International District in Seattle, more than 75% of the potential cancer risk is from diesel particulate matters. The major sources are from trucks along I-5 and I-90. The total potential cancer risk from diesel particulate matter is approximately 400 per million people. 1631 gives me great hope that we can improve the health of our communities by using clean energy to reduce pollution where it is worst and showing the entire world how to do the same. “
— Leslie Daugs, Executive Director for APACE and City Council for the City of Bremerton
“An extraordinarily broad and diverse coalition has come together to write and pass Initiative 1631. It reflects a sense of togetherness and conviction to come to a solution – something our divided society badly needs. It is my hope and firm commitment that we maintain this vibrant coalition to keep achieving positive change, never forgetting that we are our brother and sister’s keepers. The future of humanity depends on keeping our movement alive.”
— Kurtis Robinson, President Spokane NAACP Chapter & Firefighter
“I-1631 does more than simply reduce pollution. It works to correct these historic inequities by putting frontline communities’ front and center in the solutions we know we need to build in order to start moving away from pollution.”
— Diane Narasaki, Executive Director of Asian Counseling &
“1631 is a model of hope. It was created through a collaborative process to ensure that communities on the frontline of climate impacts are at the table towards a transition to a cleaner future.”
— Estela Ortega, Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza
“Children should be able to play in a safe environment and not have to worry about health conditions caused by our environment. I support I -1631 because it will protect those impacted the most and correct these historic inequities by putting frontline communities in the solutions to start moving away from pollution. No community should have a 8 years life expectancy difference than others. We need justice now!”
—Paulina Lopez, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition
“As Pastor of one of the major churches of African descent in Washington state, I support Initiative 1631. This initiative will create over 40,000 good-paying jobs and make clean energy affordable for people who cannot afford it. Last but not least, it reduces pollution in our communities. A yes vote means you endorse these values – Yes on 1631!”
— Pastor Carey Anderson, First African Methodist Episcopal Church
