Gov. Jay Inslee was among those who attended Strawberry Festival on Sunday.

He stopped by a few different stations, including the 34th District Democrats’ booth, where he shook hands, posed for photos and urged islanders to actively oppose Initiative 2117, which seeks to undo his signature climate legislation.

I-2117 would repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act, legislation Inslee signed into law in 2021 and which some have called the “gold standard” in climate legislation because of its far-reaching approach to carbon reduction.

Washingtonians will vote on the measure this November due in large part to Brian Heywood, a former hedge fund executive and state newcomer who poured $6 million of his own money into a paid-signature campaign to get I-2117 and five other initiatives onto the ballot, according to news accounts.

As people stopped by the booth to shake hands with the governor, Inslee pulled out a spiral notebook and asked them to jot down their name and contact information, promising they’d get a follow-up call or email from the “No on 2117” campaign.

“He told me he’d send me to Humptulips to campaign against it,” said a smiling Jim Diers, who talked briefly with the governor at the Vashon Bird Alliance booth.

Backers of the initiative say the new climate law is raising the cost of gasoline and driving up other costs in Washington. But Inslee said I-2117, if passed, would be devastating to the state and Vashon Island.

“It’ll gut our pollution laws, hurt our ferry system and harm communities across the state,” he said. “I’m encouraging people to participate in the campaign against it.”

The initiative would be particularly harmful on Vashon, he said, because of its impact on transit dollars. The Climate Commitment Act puts in place a cap-and-invest program, bringing millions of dollars into the state’s coffers, including nearly $200 million for new boat and terminal electrification spending.

If I-2117 passes, Inslee said, Washington State Ferries would lose its funding for five new hybrid-electric ferries, which went out for bid in May.

“I expect a robust campaign (against I-2117), especially here on Vashon,” Inslee said. “People here know how important our ferry boats are.”

Inslee also took a few minutes to praise President Joe Biden’s decision on Sunday to drop out of the presidential race: “I admire his leadership. He’s made a difficult decision.”

Asked about his stance on Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic standard-bearer, he said it was too soon for him to make an endorsement but promised “a unified party.”

“We have to be unified,” he added. “The risks are too great.”

Leslie Brown is a former editor of The Beachcomber.