Stop Smart Meters! Bulletin
Vol. 5 February 22nd, 2011
http://stopsmartmeters.org Contact: info@stopsmartmeters.org
PO Box 66165 Scotts Valley CA 95067
Quote of the Month
“Maybe we’ve got to take a stronger stance. Maybe we need to stand in the street….”
-Dennis Norton, Mayor Capitola CA as part of discussion leading to the city choosing to be the 8th local government in CA to criminalize wireless ‘smart’ meter installation.
ALERT! ATTEND CPUC MEETING IN SF THIS THURSDAY!
Individuals and organizations opposing the rollout of Smart Meters in San Francisco and elsewhere in California will be gathering at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) building at 505 Van Ness Avenue (at McAllister, near City Hall) in San Francisco this Thursday, February 24th to testify before a meeting of the CPUC in the morning. Two new commissioners have been appointed by Gov. Brown and it’s critical that they hear from everyone. The Governor must be urged to yank Michael Peevey from the Chair, a former utility executive who is the classic fox watching the hen house, a man who has made the CPUC into a laughing stock and a lapdog to the industry. A protest will be held following the meeting in the early afternoon.
If you are interested in speaking at the CPUC meeting for 1-2 minutes, arrive by 9:30 a.m. to sign up to speak. The CPUC meeting itself begins at 10:00 a.m. The rally will begin at 12:00 p.m. and last until 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Spread the word and let’s flood the meeting. Seriously- we’re pissed and we’re not going to take it any more.
WHAT ARE SMART METERS!?
The installation of wireless gas and electric meters is one of the largest technology rollouts in history. Yet in California and other states, there was virtually no consultation with the public and local governments in advance of the $2.2 billion + “Advanced Metering Infrastructure” (or AMI) project -- the first mandatorymicrowave radiation device to be installed on our homes and businesses. Wireless radiation has been linked with cancer[1] and DNA damage[2] at exposure levels far below FCC guidelines, in peer-reviewed scientific studies. “Smart” meters pose health risks, violate individual privacy, interfere with electronic appliances, increase carbon emissions and overcharge customers. But utility companies and tech firms love them because they allow them to layoff meter readers and generate more profit. Luckily, more communities every day are learning the facts and refusing the DumbMeter onslaught. Check out our new primer (that you can circulate) outlining the case against wireless utility meters here: http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/why-stop-smart-meters/
WHAT IS “STOP SMART METERS!”?
Growing out of the grassroots group Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters, which was started in June, Stop Smart Meters! is now a community supported statewide advocacy, media outreach, and direct action group providing activism consultation, technical assistance advice to dozens of local groups statewide (and now nationally and even internationally) who are fighting the wireless ‘smart’ meter assault.
The fight against ‘smart’ meters has brought about new, unexpected political alliances. Please join us and add your voice to thousands of others. More info, regular news updates, analysis, and tips on resisting ‘smart’ meters at our website: http://stopsmartmeters.org
To join Stop Smart Meters! and add yourself or others to the distribution list for this newsletter, please send a request to: info@stopsmartmeters.org
THANK YOU FOR DONATING TO STOP SMART METERS!
Even if it’s only a small amount, it all adds up and it really goes a long way toward making this education and advocacy possible. Remember we are community supported- please chip in if you can! Please make checks payable to Joshua Hart, write Stop Smart Meters! on the memo line and send to Stop Smart Meters! Post Office Box 66165 Scotts Valley CA 95067. Contact us directly if you require a tax deduction. Thank you for your support!
CHECK OUT OUR ALLIES
We urge you to get to know, and contribute to our friends at the following organizations, who are all working on different angles of the ‘smart’ meter issue:
Health and Safety: EMF Safety Network http://emfsafetynetwork.org
Health and Envt: Environmental Options Network (EON) http://eon3.net
EON EMF Blog: http://eon3emfblog.net/
Environmental Health Trust: http://www.environmentalhealthtrust.org/
Californians for Renewable Energy http://www.calfree.com/
Privacy issues: Electronic Frontier Foundation http://eff.org
Consumer Rights: The Utility Reform Network (TURN) http://turn.org
SMART METER CAMPAIGN UPDATES
NEARLY 30 CA LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OPPOSE WIRELESS SMART METERS
The number of local governments opposed to the ‘smart’ meter program continues to climb. A total of 24 cities and 5 counties throughout CA- representing several million citizens- have now formally opposed PG&E’s mandatory ‘smart’ meter program. It is now illegal under local ordinance to install within the jurisdiction of 8 of these local governments. Call the sheriff if you see installations in any of these areas (or if PG&E tries to install on your home against your will). The updated list of local governments protesting can be found here at the EMF Safety Network site. Want your city or county to be the 30th? Why not get them to pass an ordinance? Sample letter here.
STUDY: ‘SMART’ METERS 5X MORE POWERFUL THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
An addendum to last month’s smart meter rf emissions report by Sage Associates was released last week, and has found that the meters PG&E is installing in Northern California are nearly 500% stronger than the Itron meters used for the initial study. That means essentially that far more living space in our homes is being subjected to radiation levels that can exceed FCC’s already dangerous, thermally based limits. More details over at EON’s EMF blog.
MAJOR STUDY: CELL PHONES CAUSE CHANGES IN BRAIN METABOLISM
The New York Times reported today that cell phones have been found to change rates of metabolism in the brain, a major piece of evidence that so-called “non thermal effects” of rf exposure are real and require further investigation. Don’t mention this study to the CPUC though. In their world, it doesn’t exist. Just like the other thousand. Full story: http://nyti.ms/eWYPr7
WELLINGTON WHISTLEBLOWER TELLS OF SMART METER SAFETY LAPSES
Wellington Energy is the company that is installing PG&E’s new wireless ‘smart’ meters in California. A former Wellington Energy employee sent us an e-mail late last year offering to speak with us about his experience installing smart meters in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has requested anonymity: ”I overheard numerous times while at work, “you could have burned that goddamned house down.” http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/stop-smart-meters-exclusive-interview-with-a-wellington-energy-whistleblower/
CAPITOLA COUNCIL DISCOVERS ‘SMART’ METERS ARE NOT UL LISTED
It’s sure lucky that Capitola has an electrician elected to the City Council. Councilmember Termini was the decisive vote in a cliffhanger council meeting where PG&E’s Michael Herz (aka Baywatch) was sent out to his car to retrieve a ‘smart’meter and returned to the meeting, which was put on hold while Councilmember Termini inspected the meter. Finding no UL symbol, the Council passed the emergency ordinance that makes it a violation for PG&E to install wireless meters within the city. Though PG&E claims that “ANSI” certification is sufficient, questions still linger about if and why utilities don’t need to meet the same standards as required under code for consumer electrical equipment. Full story: http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/city-council-discovers-smart-meters-are-not-ul-certified/
BAY AREA GREETS OBAMA WITH AN ANTI ‘SMART’ METER PROTEST
President Obama visited the Bay Area last week for a meeting with leaders of the nation’s top tech firms at the Woodside home of John Doerr, a venture capitalist with links to Silver Spring Networks, one of the companies behind the ‘smart’ meter. The president got a taste of the widening protests against his ill-fated smart grid plans when his motorcade came upon protesters demanding a halt to forced wireless meter installation. “Mr, President, it ain’t green if we’re going code blue.” Full story and video:
http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/anti-smart-meter-protesters-greet-obama-in-woodside/
SMART METER INDUSTRY: “ENERGY CONSUMERS ARE RATS IN A MAZE”
“Indeed utility customers do feel a lot like rats. We both apparently have no choice in being doused with strong wireless radiation by governments and corporations. The peer-reviewed research says that rats’ DNA strands deteriorate when exposed to relatively weak rf signals- far below that of a smart meter. I’m sure the rats did not enjoy that experiment. We’re not enjoying it either.” More: http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/02/12/smart-meter-industry-%E2%80%9Cenergy-consumers-are-rats-in-a-maze%E2%80%9D/
CCST REPORT LEAVES SMART METER HEALTH QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
A study carried out by the CA Council on Science and Technology (CCST) commissioned by members of the CA state assembly, was released in draft format in mid January. Immediately and widely criticized for being a ‘cut and paste’ of an earlier paper from the Electric Power Research Institute (an industry group), the study made numerous errors including using inconsistent units to make emissions from smart meters appear lower than they actually are. The report admits that uncertainties exist and debate continues about non-thermal health impacts of microwave radiation, but then inexplicably concludes that FCC guidelines are just fine, and presumably the thousands of people being affected by smart meters are just making it up. Dozens of credible scientists have raised the alarm about the unscientific report and the CPUC’s own Division of Ratepayer Advocates publicly questioned the conclusions. We’d like to point out that asking the technology sector to issue a report on the health effects of wireless is a bit like asking the tobacco industry to issue a report on the health impacts of smoking. Sounds all a bit too familiar for our liking…
http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/ccst-report-leaves-smart-meter-health-questions-unanswered/
http://eon3emfblog.net/?p=1293
SMART METER INTERFERING WITH YOUR APPLIANCES? WE’LL BE RIGHT OUT. SMART METER INTERFERING WITH YOUR SLEEP? SORRY OUT OF LUCK.
California energy giant PG&E is happy to come out and fix your garage door if their smart meter is making it open in the middle of the night. If it’s your kid who is suffering interference, don’t get your hopes up. You’re on your own.
http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/smart-meter-interfering-with-your-appliances-well-be-right-out-smart-meter-interfering-with-your-sleep-sorry-youre-out-of-luck/
UTILITY PLANS TO CHARGE FOR HEALTHY HOME CALLED EXTORTION
“After their carelessness and negligence in allowing wireless technology as a platform is showcased for the world to see, as local elected government after government formally rejects the technology that is making their people sick, they have the audacity to demand a ransom from customers who have already been forced to pay for a technology that they don’t want. This confirms rumors that have been reported- that PG&E plans to charge $50/ month extra to customers who don’t want a stupid meter on their home.
There is a word for that. It’s called extortion.” More:
http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/charging-people-to-safeguard-their-health-has-a-name-its-called-extortion/
SAN FRANCISCO TO GET “EXTRA STRENGTH” SMART METER RADIATION
Exposing the population to wireless radiation from these 625,000 wireless meters packed into a 7x7 square mile city- the densest city west of the Mississippi- on top of all the pre-existing radiation- is a human experiment of unprecedented proportions.
More: http://stopsmartmeters.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/san-francisco-in-pge%E2%80%99s-crosshairs-for-%E2%80%9Cextra-strength%E2%80%9D-smart-meter-radiation/
SAN FRANCISCO ‘NO SMART METER’ GROUP KICKS OFF (JUST IN TIME)
A group of San Francisco residents has started ‘No Smart Meters SF” just as PG&E tries to inflict their half-baked smart meter plan on San Francisco. They have a website and a Facebook page- do get in touch with them if you’d like to join their efforts (unless you are Ralph Florea). Their website is at:http://nosmartmeters.blogspot.com/ Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/NOSMARTMETERSSF
STOP SMART METERS! NOW ON TWITTER!
For the latest campaign updates and links to developing stories that don’t make it onto our website, follow us on Twitter! We are “stopsmeters”
MEDIA UPDATE AND LINKS
Wireless Smart Meter Debacle
Capitola Council Criminalizes Smart Meters
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17356134?nclick_check=1
Ohio Utility Company Rejects Wireless Smart Meters
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/dpl-only-ohio-power-company-to-delay-smart-meter-upgrades-1073958.html
Arizona Woman Says Smart Meter Made Her Sick
http://www.kpho.com/valleynews/26946007/detail.html
Report: SmartMeters Could Exceed FCC's Radiation Limits http://novato.patch.com/articles/report-smartmeters-could-exceed-fccs-radiation-limits
Landis & Gyr, Smart Meter Manufacturer For Sale- Have they seen writing on the wall?
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2027268/report-smart-meter-giant-landis-gyr-seeking-sale#disp
Smart Meter EMF Higher Than Previously Thought
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/north_bay&id=7971215
EMF at UC San Diego Blamed for Cancer Cluster
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/campus-building-blamed-for-cancer-cluster/
Connecticut Attorney General Opposes Smart Meters
http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news16777.html
Wi-Fi Increasingly Vulnerable to Hackers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/technology/personaltech/17basics.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general
Monterey Woman Spends $4000 of her own money on full page anti-smart meter
http://www.ksbw.com/video/26880746/detail.html
KSBW responds to ad with outrageous, uninformed editorial from general manager
http://www.ksbw.com/station/26919541/detail.html
Illinois Cities Pass “Smart Meter Bill of Rights”
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110216/news/702169895
Marina Apartment Manager Builds Fence to Keep PG&E Meter Installers at Bay
http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=14016676
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_17369781?source=most_viewed&nclick_check=1
Smart Meter Rap and Smart Meter Blues- Protest Music is Alive and Well
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_17105514?source=email
Australia Deals With ‘Smart’ Nightmare of its Own: Installers “lack required skills”
http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-generic-blog/more-meter-madness/20110214-1at6r.html
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/smart-meter-shock-electrical-hazards-found-in-3500-homes-20110212-1are0.html?from=age_sb
Texas Woman Fights Utility Over Smart Meter
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=50854
Shocker: Italy Has Success with Smart Meters. Their secret? Consult the public first, install meters in an accessible location within the home, and make them WIRED. PG&E? Sorry three strikes and you are OUT!
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,661744,00.html
Marin Officials and Sheriff at Odds Over Smart Meter Moratorium
http://www.baycitizen.org/pge/story/marin-officials-and-law-enforcement-odds/
Smart Meters and Health, a presentation made in September by physician and biomedical engineer Karl Maret:
http://www.communitytv.org/programs/online/truth-about-smart-meters (beginning at 23:40 on the video telecast)
Joshua Hart of Stop Smart Meters! interviewed on KSCO- great radio show with call-ins!
http://www.ksco.com/podcasts/saturday-special
GENERAL WIRELESS AND HEALTH NEWS
Wireless Signals Linked to Sperm Damage
http://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/letter-to-parents/
AT&T Wants to Eliminate All Landlines in the US- Their Brains Must be Under the Influence of Cell Phone
http://bit.ly/gRj6XQ
Planet Irth: A Grim Fairy Tale by Magda Havas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtb8dTgB3LE
WiMAX Causes Swedes to “Drop like Flies”
http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/12/swedes-hit-hard-by-wimax-waves/
Obama’s Insane Plans to Expand Wireless
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html?_r=2
Warning Signs, Towers, Greet Mt. Woodson (San Diego) Hikers
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/18/warning-signs-and-towers-greet-hikers-atop-mount-w/
EMF Phone Home- Great Coverage of the Electromagnetic Health Forum
http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=2487
GENERAL UTILITY DYSFUNCTION
PG&E Investors Still Cashing In- Perhaps We Need to Bring Cairo to Beale St
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110216/WIRE/110219656/1042?Title=PG-E-still-sailing-along-smoothly-but-why-
TURN: Hold PG&E Accountable for San Bruno
http://turn.org/article.php?id=1607&utm_source=sharing&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=SanBrunoOII
If you’d like to be removed from this list, please e-mail us at info@stopsmartmeters.org and we will do so immediately. ~Thank you for your support!~ - Stop Smart Meters!
Endnotes:
[1] Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hansson Mild K and Morgan LL: Long-term use of cellular phones and brain tumours- increased risk associated with use for ≥10 years. Occup Env Med 64: 626-632, 2007. DOI 10.1136/oem.2006.029751.
[2] Lai, H. and Sigh, N.P. DNA single- and double- strand DNA breaks in rat brain cells after acute exposure to low-level radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 69:513–521, 1996. |