4. Financial Hardship

Section 1802 (g) provides in relevant part that "significant financial hardship" in the case of a group such as CMRAA means that the economic interest of the individual members is small in comparison to the costs of effective participation.

CMRAA states in its July 13, 2001 request for compensation that it is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation that depends entirely upon membership dues and voluntary contributions for its existence. Membership is $12.00 per year, which entitles members to receive a newsletter that is published every month. CMRAA states that for the calendar year 2000 its donations and membership fees were $34,505.44, and its total expenses, not including its cost of participation in this proceeding, were $29,607.57. It is clear to us that CMRAA has a financial hardship under § 1802(g). Even were CMRAA to devote itself primarily to participating in this proceeding, there would be little remaining in its budget for any other activity. Furthermore, the cost of effective participation would greatly exceed any possible benefit as reflected in the bills of individual members.