OSPIRG

Annual Report

2006

OREGON STATE PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP & OSPIRG FOUNDATION

FROM OSPIRGMaureen Kirk, OSPIRG Board Of Directors

1.

Left to right: Environmental advocate Jeremiah Baumann testifies at a public hearing on mercury pollution, staff photo; Citizen outreach staff builds public support for a 25 percent Renewable Energy Standard, photo Ryan Moeckly; Consumer Advocate Laura Etherton speaks to the press about making health care more affordable, photo Tim Gunther; Oregon windfarm, photo Shutterstock.com/Varina and Jay Patel.

Oregon took great strides forward in 2006.

The state adopted clean cars standards that will cut global warming pollution from cars and trucks by 30 percent. The Legislature, during a special session, enacted the state’s first-ever payday loan interest cap, set at 36 percent. And, in response to skyrocketing health care costs, voters approved an expansion of Oregon’s proven-effective pre-scription drug purchasing pool to all 1 million Oregonians lacking prescription drug coverage.

I’m proud that OSPIRG played a role in each of these successes. With careful research, grassroots support and strategic alliances, OSPIRG has been able to stand up to powerful interests and win, building a solid track record over the last 35 years.

That said, there is so much more work to be done. Today, in Oregon and Washington, D.C., there is more opportunity to make meaningful progress on issues that matter than I’ve seen in a decade or more.

On energy—Oregon can enact a Renewable Energy Standard to boost renewable energy, like wind and solar power, to 25 percent of the state’s energy. It is the single most significant thing we can do to reduce global warming, will make us more energy independent, and help rural economies.

And on health care—we can take the next steps to reduce out-of-control medical costs, and improve the quality and safety of care. We need more common-sense solutions such as the Healthy Kids Plan to reduce smoking and make health care affordable for Oregon’s children.

After careful thought and planning, we have concluded that the best way to advance all of our work—both for the environment and the public interest—is to separate our organization into two distinct groups.

That’s why in May, Environment Oregon became the new home of OSPIRG’s environmental program. With your sup-port, Environment Oregon will continue to use the same creative, result-oriented approach to our state’s environmental problems that has made such a big difference over the years. Moreover, with a clear name and a single-minded focus, we expect that Environment Oregon will be able to win more support from more pro-environment Oregonians.

Meanwhile, OSPIRG will continue to be a strong and independent voice for Oregonians on major issues like health care, identity theft, government reform and more. We also expect OSPIRG’s sharper focus will attract the support of many Oregonians who care passionately about those issues, but thought of us as working only on the environment.

Thank you for all you have done to make OSPIRG successful—and for the generosity and support we hope you will provide as Environment Oregon and OSPIRG launch a new era of action and advocacy for the people of Oregon.

During its April 2006 special session, the Oregon Legislature passed an OS-PIRG-backed bill to give consumers new protections from payday loans’ previously unlimited interest rates and fees.

“OSPIRG applauds the Oregon Legisla-ture for taking action against predatory lending,” said Laura Etherton, consumer advocate with OSPIRG. “This action sends a strong message to payday lenders that gouging consumers with 500 percent interest rates and trapping borrowers in a cycle of debt are unacceptable practices in Oregon.”

Setting Limits On LoansPayday loan outfits sell short-term, high interest-rate loans to cash-strapped Oregonians.

The bill passed in 2006 sets limits for the first time on payday loan interest rates and fees, setting a maximum rate of 36 percent APR, allowing a one-time 10 percent loan origination fee, and giving consumers a full 31 days to repay a loan.

Surveys conducted in 2005 and 2006 by the OSPIRG student chapters in Portland and Lane County found that these payday loan outfits commonly charge exorbitant fees and interest—with the most com-monly charged annual interest rate at 521 percent. Following the bill’s passage, at least 17 payday lending companies applied for licenses to do business as

“conventional short-term lenders,” which would not be subject to the new law’s cap on interest rates. Etherton served on an advisory committee regarding new rules to close this loophole in the fall of 2006.

“It’s disappointing to see the payday loan industry try to evade reasonable limits on interest rates by calling these outrageous loans by another name,” said Etherton.

Going into 2007, OSPIRG continues to watchdog the industry and is advocating strong limits on interest rates for all types of consumer finance lending to make sure consumers get the protections they need.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed new payday loan consumer protections into law on April 25. OSPIRG’s Laura Etherton joined him (far right).

Our MissionOSPIRG helped pass legislation designed to end payday loan triple-digit interest rates that trap borrowers in a cycle of debt.

FIGHTING PREDATORY LENDERS Payday Lenders Gouged Vulnerable Consumers

When consumers are cheated or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, OSPIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organiz-ing, advocacy and litigation.

OSPIRG’s mission is to deliver per-sistent, result-oriented public inter-est activism that protects consum-ers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government.

3.

OSPIRG launched the Clean Energy for Oregon campaign in 2006 with the goal of dramatically ramping up Oregon’s reliance on renewable energy. Clean, renewable energy will help take control of Oregon’s energy future and make steep cuts in global warming pollution. The campaign calls on the state to require utilities to produce 25 percent of Oregon’s energy from clean, renewable sources by 2025, and expand incentives for busi-nesses and consumers to use homegrown renewable energy.

Oregon has the resources and know-how to address the state’s energy problems. Renewable energy is nearly pollution-free and offers stable rates. In today’s market, wind energy is cost-competitive with coal and cheaper than natural gas.

While Oregonians depend on out-of-state or foreign supplies for coal and natural gas, renewable power can be generated in-state. Oregon has an abundance of renew-able energy resources that are unmatched in their diversity, and our research centers are leaders in renewable technologies.

Areas in central and eastern Oregon offer plentiful wind resources. Even Oregon’s rainiest locales get more sun than Germa-ny, a world leader in solar power. Just off the Oregon Coast lies one of the world’s best potential sites for wave power, and Oregon State University is a leading re-search center on this new technology.

Time For ChangeIn 2006, OSPIRG called for a dramatic leap forward: the enactment of a Renew-able Energy Standard requiring that utili-ties get 25 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski led the charge, call-ing for the Renewable Energy Standard in his 2006 State of the State address. The governor appointed OSPIRG’s Jeremiah Baumann to his Renewable Energy Work-ing Group, tasked with developing the policy details of the renewable energy proposal. The ambitious proposal was not without critics—the Renewable Energy Standard was met with skepticism by

some utilities and large industrial energy users like the timber company Weyer-haeuser and high-tech firm Intel.

“Unfortunately, powerful interests often stand in the way of progress toward new energy solutions,” said Baumann.

Building Broad SupportSo over the summer and fall of 2006, OSPIRG worked with other energy advo-cates at the Citizens’ Utility Board and the Renewable Northwest Project to build sup-port for the Renewable Energy Standard.

OSPIRG staff worked to build a coalition of diverse constituencies across the state. By year’s end, OSPIRG was working with farmers from central and eastern Oregon; county commissioners and for-mer elected officials from Hood River, Sherman, Baker and Union counties; the Oregon Business Association; religious leaders from across the state; and other environmental organizations to support renewable energy solutions. Meanwhile, research and advocacy staff documented the benefits of a renewable energy agenda and briefed the media. OSPIRG advocates recruited legislators and other elected of-ficials to form a team of renewable energy supporters. And citizen outreach staff knocked on tens of thousands of doors to enlist the support of Oregonians state-wide, ultimately generating more than 20,000 postcards, e-mails and petitions to elected officials.

As a testament to renewable energy’s broad appeal and our public education campaign, legislators from both parties

Annual Report 2006

OSPIRG’s Jeremiah Baumann took part in Gov. Kulongoski’s Renewable Energy Working Group to advise the governor on energy legislation.

OSPIRG laid the groundwork for a renewable energy standard using public education, research and advocacy.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE FOR OREGONPlans For Clean, Renewable Energy Moved Forward

In Coalition made renewable energy a priority in their November re-election campaigns.

Growing MomentumBy the end of 2006 it was clear that the proposed Renewable Energy Standard had emerged as one of the top environmental issues for the 2007 legislative session.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski championed the 25 percent standard and made it a top priority in his re-election campaign. Sen. Brad Avakian (NW Portland and Washington County) had named the standard his top

policy priority. The Oregon Conservation Network, a coalition of more than 40 environmental organizations, had named it as one of several top priorities.

Heading into 2007, OSPIRG held high hopes for the 2007 Legislature to make landmark progress toward energy inde-pendence and reduced global warming pollution by enacting far-reaching renew-able energy policy.

Making Solar Energy Add UpOregon has an important solar energy program called “net metering” that lets consumers’ meters run backwards,

literally, if they have a solar electric system generating more energy than they are consuming. If a consumer generates more energy than they use over an entire month, the utility issues a check. But the reimbursement is at a rate lower than the rate consumers pay, and the program is only available for small-scale users, not larger businesses which have larger roofs to handle larger solar systems.

So in 2005, OSPIRG teamed up with the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association to urge the Oregon Public

In Their Own Words

Utility Commission (PUC) to make two key improvements to the program. First: allow larger customers to participate in the program by raising the maximum size of an eligible solar facility from 25 kilowatts to 2 megawatts. Second: allow customers to apply excess credits at the end of the month toward the next month’s bill, so customers can generate excess credits during the sunny summer months and use them to pay off bills during cloudier winter months.

At the end of 2006, advocacy efforts were making headway, and the PUC was poised to initiate changes early in 2007.

Solar energy is an important renewable resource statewide. Even Oregon’s cloudiest areas get more sun than Germany, a world leader in solar energy production.

A good policy idea and sound arguments are the foundation of OSPIRG’s advocacy. But when special-interest lobbyists work against sound energy policies, good ideas are not enough. That’s why building broad and powerful coalitions is a critical component of OSPIRG’s work.

OSPIRG and our allies made building a broad coalition a cornerstone of our efforts to put strong new renewable energy policies in place. We worked with farmers and landowners who can lease land for wind turbines, county commissioners from rural Hood River, Sherman and Union counties, religious leaders concerned about global warming, labor leaders at the Oregon AFL-CIO, business leaders at the Oregon Business Association, and renewable energy business like Horizon Wind Energy and the Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association.

Gov. TedKulongoski

“OSPIRG has been a very important partner in working to achieve our joint goal of reducing global warming pollution by shifting Oregon’s energy policy toward renewable energy. OSPIRG’s staff brings together critical tools—from building coalitions to developing important policies—that when combined with a pragmatic, collaborative approach, makes them among our most effective advocates for the public interest.”

5.

In November, Oregon voters enacted a powerful solution to skyrocketing pre-scription drug costs when 77 percent voted yes on OSPIRG-backed Measure 44—Prescription for a Healthy Oregon.

Voters overwhelmingly agreed to expand the Oregon Prescription Drug Program to all 1 million Oregonians lacking prescrip-tion drug coverage.

Skyrocketing CostsThe rising cost of health care is a problem affecting everyone. High prices shut more and more people out of access to the care they need, and prescription drug prices continue to increase.

In 2005, consumers nationwide spent nearly $252 billion on prescription drugs, nearly $50 billion more than in 2003. The primary reason for this increase in spend-ing is skyrocketing prices. AARP found that prices charged by drug makers for brand-name pharmaceuticals jumped 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2006, four times the general inflation rate and the larg-est quarterly price increase in six years.

Similarly, a 2004 report by Families USA found that the average wholesale price of 28 of the top 30 brand-name drugs rose by at least twice the rate of inflation between January 2003 and January 2004.

These high costs have real impacts on people’s lives. People without health

administration than they do on research and development.

Other factors contributing to the rising cost of drugs include loopholes and FDA budget constraints that delay competition from generic drugs, and drug makers’ ad-vertising and marketing tactics that drive up demand for the most expensive drugs.

OSPIRG Research In the spring of 2006, OSPIRG Foundation staff teamed up with other state PIRGs across the country to survey more than 600 pharmacies in 35 cities—including the Portland area—to determine how much uninsured consumers pay for 10 common drugs used by Americans under 65.

The report compared the results with prices paid by the federal government, prices at a Canadian pharmacy, and with Oregon’s prescription drug purchasing pool. Among the survey’s key findings:

• In the Portland area, uninsured consum-ers pay 61 percent more than what the federal government pays for the same drugs, ranking the city 15th out of the 35 cities surveyed.

• Oregon’s prescription drug buying pool, the Oregon Prescription Drug Program, succeeds in negotiating lower prices for low-income seniors and some public en-tities. Uninsured consumers that cannot participate in the program pay 23 percent more on average, and as much as 44 per-cent more, for the drugs surveyed.

• Uninsured people in Portland pay more than twice as much for their medication

insurance or prescription drug coverage often do not take the recommended dos-ages of their medications. According to one study, nearly 60 percent of uninsured people skipped taking doses of their medication or went without it because it cost too much. Others make the difficult choices between needed medication and food, heat or other essential purchases.

Drug makers often argue that prescrip-tion drugs are expensive because of the high cost of research and development for new drugs. But drug manufacturers spend twice as much on marketing and

OSPIRG helped expand the prescription drug buying pool benefits to all uninsured Oregonians.

ADVOCATING FAIR RX DRUG PRICESDrug Companies’ Skyrocketing Prices Hurt Consumers

Need caption.

OSPIRG

Portlanders Pay More For Prescription Drugs Average prices of common drugs paid by uninsured consumers in the Portland metro area vs. federal bulk prices

Allegra Ambien

Lipitor Singulair

BULK PORT BULK PORT

BULK PORT BULK PORT

$58.57

$110.12

$62.40

$121.70

$62.37

$86.99

$62.41

$115.47

Researchat local drug stores as they would pay at a Canadian pharmacy. The hormone replacement drug Premarin costs 520 percent more at Portland area drug stores than it does at a Canadian pharmacy.

• Uninsured consumers in Portland paid 12.5 percent more than last year, an increase faster than the general rate of in-fl ation over the two-year period between 2004 and 2006.

“When uninsured Oregonians go it alone at the pharmacy, they pay the price,” said Etherton. “The voter-approved expansion

OSPIRG helped to establish the program in 2003, but it was only available to low-income seniors who lacked drug coverage for at least six months. In 2005, OSPIRG advocated expansion of the program, to boost its power to negotiate even lower costs and bring those savings to more Oregonians, but the Legislature failed to enact the expansion.

In 2006, working together with coalition allies such as AARP-Oregon, Oregonians for Health Security and others, OSPIRG reached out to voters to urge them to vote yes on Measure 44.

On Election Day, the measure passed by a signifi cant margin.

“The measure’s passage helps cut costs for the Oregonians paying the highest prices at the drug counter—those lacking insur-ance coverage,” said Etherton.

OSPIRG encourages Oregonians who lack drug coverage, or who are enrolled in Medicare Part D, to contact the Oregon Prescription Drug Program to sign up for drug discounts at 1-800-913-4146 or www.OPDP.org.

of the Oregon Prescription Drug Program gives more Oregonians access to a very smart tool to cut costs.”

Relief From High PricesThe Oregon Prescription Drug program pools the buying power of uninsured Oregonians, state agencies and local governments to negotiate lower prices with the drug companies.

Savings can be as high as 60 percent, and the discounted drugs are available at pharmacies all across the state.

Maribeth Healey Director, Oregonians for Health Security

“OSPIRG is a valuable ally in the fi ght for quality affordable health care for Oregonians. They stand up to the prescription drug companies and other powerful interests to advocate real solutions.”

OSPIRG’s Laura Etherton (right) discusses election night results, showing 77 percent in favor of Measure 44 to cut prescription drug prices, with Maribeth Healey, Director of Oregonians for Health Security (left) and Margaret Noel, President of League of Women Voters of Oregon (center).

In Their Own Words

OSPIRG REPORT: Paying the Price: The High Cost Of Prescription Drugs For Uninsured OregoniansReleased July 2006

OSPIRG Foundation’s report on skyrocketing drug costs earned statewide media coverage in 2006 when it revealed how Oregonians lacking drug coverage pay 61 percent more on average than the federal government for the same drugs. The report also showed that the Oregon Prescription Drug Program is succeeding in its goal to negotiate lower prices with the drug companies.

7.

Because of gas savings, cars sold under the Clean Cars program will save their drivers more money on gas than the small increase in the up-front price of the cars.

As our advocates in Washington, D.C., work to build support for solutions at the federal level, OSPIRG will keep working to make sure Oregon continues to lead the way in curbing global warm-ing pollution. OSPIRG student chapters are pushing their universities to adopt aggressive goals for cutting global warm-ing pollution.

And OSPIRG advocates are pushing state leaders to require utilities to generate 25 percent of the state’s energy from renew-able sources like solar and wind power, and set higher energy-efficiency standards for buildings and appliances.

Annual Report 2006

CURBING GLOBAL WARMING Clean Cars Program Enacted To Cut Global Warming Pollution

OSPIRG helped Oregon become a state leader in the fight to stop the worst effects of global warming.

“This cut in global warming pollution is significant on a global scale,” said Jeremiah Baumann, OSPIRG environ-mental advocate.

“The cumulative global warming pollu-tion reduction from the programs between 2009 and 2020 is equivalent to taking 68 million of today’s cars off the road for an entire year.”

The Clean Cars program will also help break America’s addiction to oil and save money for consumers because automakers are likely to increase gas mileage as part of complying with the global warming pollution standards.

In June 2006, Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission finalized their deci-sion to enact the OSPIRG-backed Clean Cars program—including the state’s first-ever limits on global warming pollution from cars and trucks.

Global Problem, State ActionWashington, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York enacted the program in 2005. California, Vermont, Maine and New Jersey had made the move earlier, bringing the number of states enacting the program to 10 which together represent a third of the nation’s population.

OSPIRG research, produced in partner-ship with U.S. PIRG, the federation of state PIRGs, shows that Clean Cars programs in Oregon and other states are cutting global warming pollution on a scale of global significance. And they are cutting oil dependence and saving consumers money at the same time.

Cars and trucks in the 10 states that have adopted the Clean Cars program are projected to release 364 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, the result of increasing vehicle travel, growing use of SUVs and light trucks, and stagnant fuel economy.

By adopting the Clean Cars program, how-ever, annual pollution in these states will be reduced by an average of 18 percent.

Clean Car Programs Will Cut States’ Emissions By 18 Percent Reductions in CO2 emissions from cars and light-duty trucks by 2020

MAINE: Cut 1.3 Mil. Metric TonsMASSACHUSETTS: Cut 4.6 Mil. Metric TonsNEW JERSEY: Cut 9.9 Mil. Metric TonsNEW YORK: Cut 9.1 Mil. Metric TonsRHODE ISLAND: Cut 0.8 Mil. Metric TonsVERMONT: Cut 0.7 Mil. Metric TonsWASHINGTON: Cut 3.7 Mil. Metric Tons

CALIFORNIA: Cut 29.1 Mil. Metric TonsCONNECTICUT: Cut 2.8 Mil. Metric Tons

OREGON:Cut 1.8 Mil.Metric Tons

10 STATE TOTAL:Cut 64 Million

Metric Tons of CO2

REDUCING MERCURY POLLUTIONNew Pollution Limits Set For Oregon’s Only Coal-Fired Power Plant

OSPIRG worked with environmental and public health advocates to cut mercury pollution 90 percent by 2012 at PGE’s Boadman plant.

Coal-fired power plants produce more mercury pollution than any other industrial source.

In response to advocacy by OSPIRG and other organizations, in December 2006, Oregon joined other states around the country requiring coal-fired power plants to reduce their toxic mercury pollution to the lowest possible level.

Bodies of water statewide, including the Willamette and Columbia rivers, are con-taminated with mercury, which damages children’s neurological development, to the point that Oregonians are warned to limit their consumption of fish.

Nationally, the largest industrial source of mercury is coal-fired power plants. Oregon has only one such plant, oper-ated by Portland General Electric (PGE) in Boardman near the eastern end of the Columbia Gorge.

The Clean Air Act requires the U.S. EPA to issue rules to cut mercury pollution. Despite OSPIRG’s state and federal advocates urging the strongest possible protections, in 2005, the Bush adminis-tration issued weak rules requiring much smaller reductions than available technol-ogy allows. The federal rules also allowed companies to purchase “pollution credits” from other companies instead of reducing local mercury pollution.

In early 2006, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) pro-posed the same federal rules for PGE’s coal plant. OSPIRG objected to the pro-

posal and joined Friends of the Columbia Gorge, the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center in urging DEQ to adopt stronger rules.

OSPIRG’s Jeremiah Baumann testified to the Environmental Quality Commission, DEQ’s citizen oversight board, about available technologies to reduce mer-cury pollution by 90 percent. In addition, hundreds of OSPIRG members submitted comments by e-mail. In response, DEQ staff adopted stronger rules that require PGE to reduce its mercury pollution 90 percent by 2012.

One of OSPIRG’s primary tools for achieving policy results is advocacy—combining research with compelling presentation to persuade policy-makers. To convince the Environmental Quality Commission to require major reductions in mercury pollution, OSPIRG worked with other organizations to research pollution-control technologies and mercury policies developed by other states. OSPIRG’s Jeremiah Baumann and Melissa Powers of the Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center jointly presented the case at a public hearing for stronger pollution reductions.

Advocacy

Stephanie HallockDirector, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

“OSPIRG plays an important role in keeping Oregonians informed. They worked hard to get an Oregon mercury rule adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission.”

In Their Own Words

After years of advocacy, the roadless areas of our national forests will remain free of logging, drilling and mining. Last September, federal district court Judge Elizabeth LaPorte effectively reinstated protections for nearly 60 million acres of pristine national forest land—including nearly 2 million acres in Oregon.

In 2001, OSPIRG worked with U.S. PIRG, the federation of state PIRGs, to collect a record-setting number of public comments in support of protecting road-less areas in national forests.

As a result, the Clinton administration’s “Roadles Rule,” as it came to be known, protects the remaining pristine areas with-in iconic national forests like Oregon’s Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest.

When the Bush administration repealed the rule shortly after taking office in 2001, it replaced the policy with an un-wieldy, unscientific and unpopular plan that forced state governors to petition for forests protections.

OSPIRG mobilized public opinion to help persuade Gov. Kulongoski to stand up to the Bush administration and file a petition for full protection of the roadless areas in Oregon.

The court’s decision is a victory for the millions of people that enjoy these pris-tine places.

Protecting Mt. Hood WildernessNew wilderness protections for areas on and around Mt. Hood came very close to becoming law in the final months of the 2006 Congressional session.

Mt. Hood is a favorite Oregon destination and provides many communities with clean drinking water. But the mountain’s

forests are crisscrossed with roads and clearcuts.

Oregon Reps. Greg Walden and Earl Blu-menauer jump-started efforts to protect Mt. Hood when they introduced a wilder-ness bill in the spring of 2006.

Sen. Ron Wyden, who had introduced his own Mt. Hood bill in prior sessions, was joined by Sen. Gordon Smith in sponsor-ing a Senate version of the bill.

While debate over a few details continued as the session ended, members of the del-egation said protecting Mt. Hood would be a priority once Congress re-convened.

Financial Information

Charts reflect financial information forOregon State Public Interest ResearchGroup, OSPIRG Foundation and OSPIRGcitizen outreach efforts.

Citizen Contributions 94%Foundations 6%

FY06 Income FY06 Expenses

Program 72%Fundraising 22%Administrative 6%

9.

PRESERVING WILDERNESS & FORESTSCongress, Courts Act To Save Wild Places From Logging, Drilling, Mining

OSPIRG advocacy at the state and federal level helped to protect Oregon’s pristine wild places from logging and development.

OSPIRG supports efforts to provide lasting protections for pristine forests and rivers on and around Mt. Hood.

OSPIRG FoundationOSPIRG Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, conducts research and public education on emerging public interest issues. Contributions to OSPIRG Foundation are tax-deductible. For more information, call (503) 231-4181. The following foundations and individuals have supported the OSPIRG Foundation:

Blue Moon FundPatricia BruggereRichard BunteEarth Share Of OregonEnergy FoundationThe Hundredth Monkey FoundationRobyn LewJohn LynchAdrian McJunkinBrian RayRobert S. RosenSchwab Fund for Charitable GivingManning Welsh

Planned GivingMembers who include OSPIRG in their wills leave a legacy of activism that will protect public health and defend the rights of consumers for decades to come. For more information about including OSPIRG in your estate and major giving plans, call (800) 841-7299 or e-mail plannedgiving@ospirg.org.

Development CommitteeThe following members supported OSPIRG with contributions of $1,000 or more.

Richard Bunte • John Christensen • Albert Folsom • Stan & Colleen Freidberg, MD • Blaine Kozak, MD • Robyn Lew • Adrian McJunkin • McKay Nutt • Douglas H. Phelps • Robert S. Rosen • Jude Russell • Kathleen Scanlan • Kimberley Schroeder • Manning Welsh

PatronsThe following members supported OSPIRG with contributions of $500 to $999.

Allison Hayes Bader • Jerre Ann Bader • Lori Baldwin • Scott Benjamin • Dane Borg • Jean Bottcher • Janna Brown • Patricia Bruggere • Kara Burnham • Judy Campbell • Celia Clause-Coffin • Maureen Coorpender • Jeri Janowsky & John Crabbe • Linda Cunningham • Jay Cushman

• Wendy Del Mar • Albrecht Enders • Charles Fisher • Donna Gifford • Dave Glass • K. Reed Gleason • Frederick Hess • George Hoselton • Jeffery Judkins • Dan Kennedy • Craig Kerr • Jack Kirk • Kurt Kovacs • Barbara Kuechmann • John Lynch • Chris Marshall • David McCulloch • Teresa Meyer • Brad Miller • Lani Miller • Peter Miller • R. G. Miller • Karen Osuna • Christy Wilkins Paul Frankenbu • Nicholas Ramsey • Brian Ray • Margaret Remsen • Mary M. Richer • John Riordan • Robert Rodgers • Beth Sheehan • Thomas Snell • Ella Stilwell • Christine Storzbach • Olwen Strode • R. L. Sullivan • James Swenson • Bryan Lessley & Tina Stupasky • Lysbeth Toribio • Dan Wieden • Michael Williams • Richard Wilson • Athena Zaentz

SponsorsThe following members supported OSPIRG with contributions of $300 to $499.

FY06 Program Expenses Breakdown

Consumer Protection& Democracy 6%Health Care & Other 2%

Wild Forests & Preservation 43%Clean Air & Water 26%Clean Energy 23%

Credits:

Photos: Page 2, Patti Wentz/Our Oregon. Page 4, Christopher Dymond. Page 6, Tom Oliver. Page 8, Clipart.com. Page 9, James Horning/Shutterstock. Staff photos, Jan Pelton.

Design by Public Interest GRFX (215) 985-1113; Printing by Fowler Printing And Graphics.

Printed on recycled paper.

Citizen support is the cornerstone of OSPIRG and OSPIRG Foundation.Thousands of Oregonians supported OSPIRG by making membership contribu-tions in 2006. The members listed below were particularly generous in backing the organizationʼs research and advocacy. Names that appear in italics denote our monthly supporters. These members provide stability to the organizationʼs resources through our monthly giving program.

Mohammed Aljamal • David Baasch • Victor Bellotti • Taylor Bradford • Robert J. Burns • Jill Crushy • Patricia Doblie • David Ellis • John Ely • Elise Fulsang • Larry Goza • Mark & Taryn Grider • Christine Gross • Jim Guild • John Heasley • Ruth Herrington • Kathleen Higbee • Julie Isaaccson • Corey & Steve Jensen • Kathleen Johnson • Kathy Jones • Susan & Collin Kaeder • Julie Lary • Sarah Leben • Mel Lee • Christopher And Linn • Adam Lopez • Katharine Lovinger • Jerry Maasdam • Ronald & Geri Mason • Lindsey McGrath • Tim & Julie Moloney • Bob Nesler • Daniel Parks • Justin Paslay • Jim Phelps • Victoria Quenneville • Lydia Rich • R. J. Schmierbach • Douglas Swail • Deborah Telew • Don Unrau • Eric Utz • Trudi Walta • Glen Wells • Dennis Winner • David Wood • Tim Wright

Program 72%Fundraising 22%Administrative 6%

OSPIRG SUPPORTERSOregon State Public Interest Research Group & OSPIRG Foundation

www.ospirg.org info@ospirg.org

OSPIRGOregon State Public Interest Research Group, Inc. 1536 SE 11th Ave., Suite APortland, OR 97214

Oregon State Public Interest Research Group1536 SE 11th Ave., Suite APortland, OR 97214

2006 Annual Report

NONPROFIT ORG.

U.S.POSTAGE PAID BROCKTON, MA PERMIT NO. 430

(503) 231-4181 (ph)(503) 231-4007 (fx)

Maureen KirkExecutive DirectorStaff since 1989

Laura EthertonConsumer AdvocateStaff since 1995

Jeremiah BaumannEnvironmental AdvocateStaff since 1997

Jonathan JelenField DirectorStaff since 2001

Julie GausbeckTelephone Outreach DirectorStaff since 2004

Ben UngerCampus Program DirectorStaff since 1998

Vincent RinehartAdministrator Staff since 2006

Gavin ClarkCitizen Outreach DirectorStaff since 2005