Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 19, 1978)
Utility reform has 36,000 signatures Energy petition drives now underway By CATHERINE S1EGNER Of the Emerald The right of Oregonians to the initiative and referendum process is being fully exercised this sum mer. Three petitions dealing with energy are now being circulated state-wide, with varying degrees of success. A constitutional amendment that would ban nuclear power plants and the transportation or storage of nuclear waste in the state of Oregon (except for exist ing test reactors) is being pushed by Lloyd Marbet and his organi zation, Forelaws on Board. This notitinn is nowhere near the target for signatures, due to a heavy work load and a late start. Marbet has been in Arlington, Oregon recently for the Pebble Springs hearings, and has not had time to work out an effective cam paign for the petition. “We get requests for petitions daily, but I don’t really know how many signatures we’ve got. No body has had time to put it to gether and figure it out,” he says. ’’There’s been a problem with frac tionalism, or groups disagreeing on what projects to tackle, and that’s been a disappointment. But I feel the time is now for this measure, and I’m still hopeful.” Petitions are available from Forelaws on Board, 19142 S. Bakers Ferry Rd., Boring, Oregon, 97009, or call 637-3549. Oregonians for Utility Reform (O.U.R.) is a Salem group started by Rep. Bob Vian, D-Salem, to sponsor a measure that would prohibit private, investor-owned utilities in Oregon from charging customers for the cost of con structing new generation facilities. The group's petition would re move Construction Work in Prog ress (CWIP) charges from the rate base. A similar measure was pas sed in Missouri in 1976 by a 63 percent to 37 percent margin, even though its proponents were outspent by the utilities 40 to one. O.U.R. has already collected 3te,000 signatures, and needs 55,000 to place the measure be fore the voters in November. “I think we have an excellent chance of stopping these unfair charges,” says David McTeague, O.U.R. coordinator. “But we still need help to make sure the meas ure gets on the ballot.” For petitions or more informa tion, contact Oregonians for Utility Reform, P.O. Box 12763, Salem, Oregon, 97309, or call 378-8639 or 362-2374. The third petition has had the most success. It would amend ex isting law to shorten the process for forming public utility districts (PUDs). The PUD petition has been supported by the Oregon State Grange, the Oregon Washington Farmers' Union, the Consumer Power League, and other public power groups around the state. Proponents of the petition argue that Oregon’s utility rates are higher than Washington’s be cause Oregon didn’t take advan tage of easier PUD laws in the 1930s and establish more PUDs. They say customers served by private, investor-owned utilities such as Portland General Electric Co. or Pacific Power & Light Co. pay as much as twice as the cus tomers of either the Clark County PUD in Vancouver, Wash., or the Eugene Water & Electric Board in Lane County, Oregon. Currently, groups wishing to form a PUD must circulate two pet itions and pass two bond meas ures in order to establish the boundaries, set up a board of di rectors, and purchase existing generation and distribution facilities. The proposed measure would shorten the procedure to one peti tion and one bond measure. The circulators of the petition have col lected approximately 40,000 sig natures state-wide, and need 15,000 more. W.C. Harris, master of the Oregon State Grange, says he is sure the measure will get on the ballot. “The only way to get low cost power from the Bonneville Power Administration is to have more public utility districts. This amendment would make them easier to form,” he says. Those interested in helping with the PUD petition should contact the Oregon State Grange in Port land at 236-1118, or the People for Public Power office in Eugene at 485-5145. The three petitions with the necessary signatures must be filed with the Secretary of State by July 1, 1978. i t1 ■ ■■ ■' i1 1 i ■ i Welcome summer students and faculty, come to our get acquainted.... BANANA Buy one at the regular Thursday, SPLIT price— get the second for . npnnu JlHlC 22 SALE penny' only at Campus 706 E. 13th Ave. Jeni Malara, Student “I had C’s in high school. After Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics, 1 was able to maintain an A average” While it% still free. Chris Walsh, Engineering “It’s boring to read the way most people are taught. This way, you look at a page of print—you see the whole page. It's great!" John Futch, Law Student “With 60 briefs a week, the average student takes all week to prepare for class. In an evening, I’m finished” Jim Creighton, Student “It’s easy. Once you know how to do it, it’s super easy!’’ / Richard St Laurent, Teacher “I was skeptical, but now I’m reading around 2300 words a minute. Puts you that much ahead of everyone else!’ It’ll make homework a lot easier this year. In fact, you can cut your study time almost in half with the copyrighted techniques you learn in one free lesson. We’ll give you the incredible secrets to easy speed reading, better concentration and greater comprehension. Taught in more than 300 cities throughout the U.S. It’s easy. It’s fun. It works. Increase your reading speed as much as 100%! University of Oregon Newman Center 1850 Emerald TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 3 PM and 7 PM □ EVELYN WOOD READING DYNAMICS J ©Copyright 1976 Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics Inc This weekend, escape the humdrum with a new Pinto or Mustang from the New Ken dall Ford. You can lease a 1977 Pinto or Mustang for the entire weekend for only *19.95 including 100 FREE miles. Pick it up Friday afternoon, re turn it Monday morning and have the weekend of your life! Driver must be 21 years of age and have a valid driver’s license. KHatlALL VALLEY RIVER 342-2151
