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UID:Indybay-18675433
SEQUENCE:18754553
CREATED:20110323T230700Z
DESCRIPTION:Facing mounting opposition to wireless ‘smart’ meters being rolled out 
 by California utilities, including a total of 34 local jurisdictions who 
 have demanded that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) halt 
 further installation because of widespread reports of health impacts and 
 other concerns, the CPUC signalled at its March 10th meeting that it would 
 ask one of California’s utilities- PG&E- to develop a plan to allow 
 customers to opt out of having a wireless meter installed- at customers’ 
 expense.  The plan is expected to be presented at the CPUC’s meeting 
 tomorrow- Thursday, March 24th at 9am, where local government officials and 
 a growing chorus of environmental health advocates will renew demands for 
 an immediate moratorium on installation and hearings on health 
 impacts.\n\nTHIRTY-FOUR CA LOCAL GOVTS DEMAND SMART METER 
 MORATORIUM\n\nSmart Meter opponents welcomed the CPUC’s admission that 
 the deepening ‘smart’ meter crisis requires an urgent response, but 
 slammed the meager steps proposed to address it.  According to Joshua Hart, 
 Director of Stop Smart Meters!, “Admitting that we have a problem is the 
 first step to fixing that problem.   However, an individual opt out at 
 customer expense is a diversion.   What if you are too poor to avoid having 
 a wireless meter- is the state saying you have to pay to avoid having a 
 headache?  That sounds an awful lot like extortion.  What if you live in an 
 apartment building with dozens of meters on your bedroom wall?  The people 
 of California were never asked whether we wanted these meters- nevertheless 
 we are now paying extra for them through higher rates.  And now the 
 utilities want to charge us even more to opt out of a program that we never 
 asked for?  What is going on here?”\n\nThe wireless meters have been 
 widely reported to cause headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears- even 
 memory loss and heart palpitations among susceptible individuals due to the 
 constant bursts of microwave radiation.  The movement against wireless 
 meters is the sharp end of a growing movement demanding health-based 
 standards for wireless technology.  Michael Peevey, who Gov. Brown has 
 allowed to continue chairing the Commission, has continually insulted 
 individuals with sensitivities to electromagnetic radiation, inferring that 
 they are ‘just making it up.’  Peevey, the former President and Senior 
 Executive of Southern California Edison (SCE) has ties to the 
 telecommunications industry, and continues to chair the Commission that is 
 meant to oversee the utilities, despite popular outrage about clear 
 conflicts of interest.  SCE plans to have installed 5.3 million meters 
 between 2009 and 2012. \n\nHealth advocates say they will continue protests 
 and civil disobedience until a moratorium is imposed on any further 
 installation, independent hearings on health are scheduled at the state 
 level, and the utilities are directed to remove unwanted 
 meters.\n\nIndividuals, local elected officials 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) meeting at 505 Van Ness Avenue (at McAllister, near City Hall) in 
 San Francisco this Thursday, March 24th at 9am to testify at their morning 
 meeting.\n\nFollowing the meeting, ‘smart’ meter protesters will be 
 fanning out into the city following the CPUC meeting this Thursday, in an 
 event billed as “Adopt a Smart Meter Installer Day.” Activists will be 
 tracking down Wellington Energy employees (who are under contract to PG&E) 
 and then ‘adopting’ them, shadowing them all day long, knocking on 
 doors ahead of the installers and ensuring residents are aware of their 
 rights.  Check in with Stop Smart Meters! Director Joshua Hart at the CPUC 
 meeting for more details and to cover this event.\n###\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/23/18675433.php
SUMMARY:"Smart" Mtr Opt-Out Insufficient; Widening Call for Hearings on Public Health Emergency
LOCATION:505 Van Ness Avenue (at McAllister, near City Hall) in San Francisco
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/23/18675433.php
DTSTART:20110324T160000Z
DTEND:20110324T180000Z
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