CUB Intern Update
Posted on March 30, 2011 by John Sturm
Tags, History of CUB and General CUB News
CUB has been fortunate to have a number of great interns over the years. This is due not only to fortune, but also to an endowment, which helps fund one of our internships. The Eric Shaich Memorial Internship Fund was created in 1993 with the objective of providing students with the opportunity to gain skills and experience, while furthering CUB’s mission of ensuring fair utility rates, maintaining a sustainable energy supply, and promoting telecommunications policies which promote civic values.
CUB currently has two Shaich Interns, Tania Porter and John Sturm:
Tania: I moved back to Portland in early 2010 after spending six years working and going to school at Oregon State in Corvallis. In June, I received my BS in American Studies and minor in Resource Economics, focusing on environmental science and ethnic studies. I am now half-way through my Masters of Public Administration program at Portland State, where I am focusing on natural resource and energy policy, specifically in the areas of ecosystem services and energy security in indigenous communities. I currently live in a 1918 St. Johns bungalow with my daughters, Gabby and Bridgette, our ward Laura, a hamster called Wesley, and our newest addition, a kitten named Chai. I enjoy working in my garden, where I am fairly successful with flowers and completely unsuccessful with artichokes.
The legislative internship at CUB was a natural extension of my earlier academic work and a nice follow-up to an internship with the Community Energy Project in NE Portland. Working at CUB has been a great firsthand lesson in how quickly citizens can mobilize to fight unjust legislation. So far in the 2011 session we have been able to initiate a lot of response on specific measures by reaching out to our Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) allies throughout the state. John and I have spent the last couple of months creating a database which enables us to easily gather information about the economic and environmental impacts of the ETO’s work with ratepayers around the state. We look forward to working with CUB’s members, which will help CUB remain an effective voice for all of Oregon’s ratepayers.
John: I applied to work with CUB as a third year law student, studying environmental law at Lewis and Clark. CUB offered the prospect of getting to do public interest work in the energy sector, something of great interest to me. CUB really stands at the center of so much that happens in this area in terms of law, policy and regulation. They are frequently involved in over 30 open dockets before the Public Utilities Commission, and advocating on behalf of residential ratepayers in many other contexts as well. Working with CUB is really a tremendous opportunity in this respect. There’s a never-ending stream of interesting issues to tackle and people to meet. As someone aspiring to have a career in this sector, I can’t think of a better place to begin.
Tania and John have been working to promote CUB policies and interests in the context of the 2011 legislative session. As we noted in our March 1 legislative update, CUB’s legislative team spends considerable time tracking proposed legislation in Oregon to promote those laws which protect ratepayer interests and to advocate against those which threaten such interests, and this year is no different.
In particular, CUB has paid special attention to HB 3535, a bill that will establish a “mile-per-gallon” rating for homes and businesses so that buyers and renters will know how much energy costs will be. With this kind of information front and center, there will be an incentive to make more energy efficiency investments. CUB is tracking close to 100 bills focused on energy and utility issues, always looking to watch out for the interests (and wallets) of residential ratepayers. The behind the scenes work and support of our Shaich interns is critical in our efforts.
Thank you Tania and John!
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03/23/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Intern Update