r Agency gives referral aid
Second in a series of con
sumer reports.
By JANIE NAFSINGER
Of the Emerald
One of the problems con
sumers often have is where to
go with a grievance.
Eugene’s Better Business
Service will hear those grie
vances — or, better yet — will
probably refer you to another
agency designed specifically
to help.
In fact, a large part of the
BBS’ job is referral service,
says Pat Driscoll, one of two
staffers who run the tiny, non
profit public service.
“Most people don’t realize
there are a lot of sources of
help available,” Driscoll says.
“We try to make them aware of
these other agencies."
The Better Business Service
is a member of the Better Busi
ness Bureau, located in Port
land. The local agency, man
aged and funded by the
Eugene Chamber of Com
merce, is in the chamber office
in the lobby of the Eugene
Hotel.
The office is open to the pub
lic weekdays from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m., but Driscoll and co
worker Ruby Brenne spend
many other hours writing let
ters and doing paper work.
“We like to remain low-key on
visits and phone calls,” says
Driscoll, explaining other pub
lic bodies are available to
handle cases more directly.
“One young man who came
in earlier in the week com
plained he had not received
back wages from his em
ployer,” Driscoll says. His case
was referred to the Bureau of
Labor.
Complaints or questions
concerning poor trade or ad
vertising practices are directed
to the district attorney’s office.
City and county housing coun
cils handle landlord-tenant
disputes; students with com
plaints about rental situations
may also contact the Oregon
Student Public Interest Re
search Group (OSPIRG), Dris
coll adds.
She also points out legal aid
services are offered by both
Lane County and the Univer
sity.
“That’s one thing we don’t do
— give legal advice,’’ Driscoll
says. “If someone wants us to,
we’ll read a written opinion is
sued by an agency such as
OSPIRG, or cite an Oregon
House bill. But we don't issue
our own opinions.”
Many cases with which the
BBS deals concern complaints
about merchandise or service
received at local stores. In
such cases, Driscoll or Brenne
will write to the store about the
complaint.
Most cases are cleared up
right away, Driscoll says.
“Often, the complaint is the re
sult of a misunderstanding by
the customer.”
A toll-free number in Salem
is available for questions or
complaints about licensed
businesses, Driscoll says. Cal
lers may contact agencies that
regulate people in business.
The agencies are listed in the
Oregon Blue Book, she says,
and the toll-free number is
1-800-452-7813.
All complaints directed to the
BBS or other agencies must be
in writing, Driscoll stresses.
The Better Business Service's
address is P.O. Box 1107,
Eugene, 97440.
Board postpones decision
on pollution regulations
By LORRAINE NELSON
Of the Emerald
The Lane Regional Air Pollution
Authority voted 3-1 Tuesday to
postpone a decision on regulation
changes that would loosen air pol
lution standards for veneer dryers.
The board acted at a public
hearing Tuesday after several
members of the audience urged
the board to wait for more informa
tion on air pollution in the
Eugene-Springfield area.
The director of the University
Survival Center, Jim Stratton, said
the Air Quality Maintenance Area
Citizens Advisory Committee will
report the results of a study of the
particulate make-up of air pollu
tion in Eugene-Springfield soon.
‘‘We feel that there should be no
action taken of any kind in regards
to altering discharge levels until
we have received the recommen
dations of this advisory commit
tee,’’ Stratton said.
In moving to postpone any de
cision, Lane County Commis
sioner Bob Wood, a member of
LRAPA, said he thought “logical
data" should be collected to make
a decision and then “adopt what is
good for Lane County. Most of the
testimony pointed out that we do
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not have data to determine stan
dards not only for veneer drying
industries but for other industries
as well,” Wood added.
Current LRAPA standards,
adopted in August 1975, require
veneer dryers to meet a 10 per
cent opacity limit. Opacity refers to
the degree to which air pollution
reduces the transmission of light.
The American Plywood Associ
ation would like to have the pollu
tion standards relaxed to a 20 per
cent opacity limit, a figure that cor
responds to state Department of
Environmental Quality regulations
in other parts of the state.
The 10 percent opacity limit is
not enforced yet. The regulations
state affected companies have
until July 1, 1980 to comply with
the rule.
Enforcement of a 10 percent
rule would eliminate about 850
tons of particulate emissions
from the air every year, said Marty
Douglas, public information direc
tor for LRAPA. Douglas said the
20 percent limit, enforced last
year, cuts back on particulate
emissions by 500 tons.
LRAPA will consider the opacity
limit question again in February.
In other action, LRAPA voted to
ban open residential burning in
Lane County, in accordance with
state regulations that currently
prohibit open burning in Lane
County after July 1, 1979.
After a review of the issue, pos
sible geographic exemptions from
the rule will be discussed at the
LRAPA meeting in February.
NOTICE!
STUDENT INSURANCE
The date to purchase ASUO Student Health
Insurance has been extended to October 20, 1978,
and may be purchased only at the office of Metzker
& Associates, 870 East 13th Ave., Eugene, Or 97401
Coverage will be effective from date of purchase.
Weaver stresses
‘spend less’ idea
By MARK STEWART
Of the Emerald
Cutting extravagant govern
ment spending is the key issue of
the 4th Congressional District
race, incumbent Jim Weaver,
D-Eugene said Tuesday.
“This is the issue today,”
Weaver told a group of reporters
at the Lane County Courthouse.
“Our entire economy could col
lapse if inflation is not stopped.
We have to start making less do
more.”
When asked about the nation
wide tax revolt, Weaver said the
message is just starting to get
through to some Congressmen.
“But the big spending pattern is
still there,” he said. "The Presi
dent in his veto of the Public
Works bill tried to break the big
spending bill. He demonstrated
that the votes (to uphold the veto)
were there when he gave it lead
ership. It took the president with
this blockbuster veto to get the
message through to Congress.”
Weaver said he got the “spend
less” message long ago. He was
rated one of the top tax-cutters in
1977 by the American Taxpayers
Union and said he felt he would be
in the top 5 percent again this
year. He voted for $7 billion in
spending cuts in the last month
and said he would have voted for
more if there had been more on
the floor of the House.
When asked which tax-cutting
ballot measure he prefers,
Weaver said he felt Measure 11
r
was superior because it places a
lid on spending while Measure 6
does not.
Weaver said he opposes build
ing thermal power plants in the
Northwest because it would cause
utility rates to skyrocket. He noted
the Bonneville Power Administra
tion has already slated a 100 per
cent increase in the wholesale
rates for next year.
“Look what happened to the
Tennessee Valley Authority — it
started out as a hydropower pro
ducer, and now just 18 percent of
the power it generates is hydro,"
he said. “TV A rates are among the
highest in the country.”
He also said he favors
“baseline" utility rates that reward
consumers for conserving energy.
Weaver said he favors “stronq"
conservation program over ther
mal generating plants.
He said he favors Lane County
Ballot Measure 22 which would
allow formation of the Emerald
Public Utility District by county
residents that are currently served
by Pacific Power and Light.
“I want to see them get their fair
share of cheap hydropower,” he
said.
-%
poppi’s
Greek Peasant Food
“outside seating’
675 E. 13th
343-0846
8:00 am-10:30 pm
closed Tuesday
The Suds
1-5 & 30th Ave.
Near LCC
Factory
Thursday night-Eight till late
55 oz. of The Bull
Schlitz Malt Liquor-Onlv $2.25 and
YOU KEEP THE BUCKET’
No limit on the f
number of buckets l
\ you can take home
\ for ashtrays,
\ planters or
cnit/winc1
\ spitoons
I
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