CA Legislator Considering Bill to Hold Utilities Accountable for Multiple Smart Meter FCC Violations

We’ve documented how smart meter installations in California are violating Federal Communications Commission regulations, in several ways. Now here is a chance to get this matter some attention at the California state legislative level: CA Assemblymember Bill Monning (D- Santa Cruz/ Monterey Counties) is considering introducing a bill that would require utilities to follow all FCC regulations, which they are currently ignoring at the public’s expense.

Call Assemblymember Monning’s office TODAY at (916) 319-2027 to make your support for this bill known. Passage of this bill would protect all California residents. The legislation would basically require that PG&E and other state utilities follow FCC regulations, which state:

  1. No meter may be co-located with any other transmitter. This would require analogs be installed where there are multiple electric meters, like apartment buildings.
  2. Meters require professional installation. Utilities would have to hire proper electricians to install, rather than temporary workers like Wellington employees.
  3. No person may be allowed closer than 20cm (8 inches) to any smart meter. This would mean barriers would be needed around meters, and/or warning stickers.

Many electrically sensitive people know from experience–and research scientists from experiments–that the current FCC limits on radio-frequency radiation are sky-high and do not protect humans and animals from the non-thermal effects of RF microwave radiation.

But we are asking utilities simply to follow rules already in place, which were supposed to provide protection against the intense and unpredictable fields generated by co-location of transmitters; prevent electrical and fire hazards due to barely-trained installers; and protect against the intense fields in the immediate vicinity of a smart meter. These regulations are outlined in these two documents (issued for two models used by PG&E, but similar to those for meters used by other utilities): OWS-NIC507 and OWS-NIC514.

In addition, the transmitter power in a smart meter is supposed to be limited to one watt. The antenna inside the PG&E/ Silver Spring Networks model boosts the output of the transmitter to 2.5 watts, thus creating a fourth violation of FCC regulations. (See page 14 of this CPUC document.)

Assemblymember Monning’s Sacramento Office Number is:  (916) 319-2027. Tell them you support Monning introducing a bill that would require PG&E and other state utilities to follow FCC regulations. If they say they are not planning to introduce this bill by Friday, the legislative deadline, ask if the Assemblymember supports PG&E being required to comply with federal safety standards.  Why would ANYONE be against such a reasonable law?

Who’s going to foot the bill for simply following FCC regulations?  The utility companies and their shareholders of course!  Who else?

Update 3/28/12:  Assemblymember Monning failed to introduce this bill and continues to support the “smart grid” and the extortionate opt out fees, despite clear evidence of harm.

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What can you do about extortionate ‘opt out’ fees:

New CA site:  smartmeterhealthalert.org

News and Links (follow @stopsmeters on twitter for more links and breaking news)

Things heating up down south: Stop Smart Meters! Georgia now up: http://stopsmartmetersgeorgia.org
Georgia TV news: http://www.wtoc.com/story/16986364/bill-to-allow-an-opt-out-for-georgia-power-smart-meters-heads-to-committee

This entry was posted in Citizen rebellion, Environmental Concerns, Federal Energy Act of 2005, Federal Government. Bookmark the permalink.

19 Responses to CA Legislator Considering Bill to Hold Utilities Accountable for Multiple Smart Meter FCC Violations

  1. jim says:

    Here’s the lawsuit. False commercial speech. False advertising. Privacy violations (long list).

    “Private Memoirs of a Smart Meter” University of Massachusetts Amherst
    https://stopsmartmeters.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Private-Memiors-of-Smart-Meter.pdf

    Shows how data can be extracted from the “smart” meter to tell what is going on in your house.

    The power companies have said this isn’t possible for years now, and have sent out pamphlets explaining how they keep your data private and the “smart” meter isn’t spying on you. Don’t forget it’s completely re-programmable AT ANY TIME from remote, so just because they say it won’t do this or that now doesn’t mean it can’t do that in the future, like make the data reports contain more data etc…

    GET ON IT!! Where’s all the lawyers?

  2. Electra says:

    There is an emergency “smart” meter situation in Georgia I hope you will help with. I just learned that the Senate Bill 459, to allow a PAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF from smeters option, is going to be whisked into the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee at 3:00 this afternoon! As you know, we should not have to pay to have an untested-for-human-safety meter on the sides of our homes, radiating us night and day.

    I’d like to request that Georgians call the three senators who sponsored the bill (so happens, one heads up the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, and another sponsor is on it!), and let them know that public hearings should be held, before this bill goes any further. Tell them we should not have to pay to protect ourselves – that’s blackmail!

    Here are the numbers (the first three people are the bill’s sponsors):

    Senator David Shafer: 404-656-0048 david.shafer@senator.ga.gov (Senator Shafer is also the chairman of the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee.)

    Senator Buddy Carter: 404-656-5109 bcarter331@aol.com (Senator Carter is also on the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee.)

    Senator Greg Goggans: 404-463-5263 goggans@vzw.blackberry.com

    Here is the rest of the Committee. Please let as many of them as you can know your opinion – they will be deciding your fate, and the fate of your family, and wallet! We’re already paying to have a safe, analog meter. Why should we be charged more for what we already have?

    Senator Renee Unterman: 404.463.1368 Renee.Unterman@senate.ga.gov

    Senator Ed Harbison: 404-656-0074 ed.harbison@senate.ga.gov

    Senator William T. Ligon: 404.656.0045 william.ligon@senate.ga.gov

    Senator Barry Loudermilk: 404.656.0034 barry@barryloudermilk.com

    Senator Joshua McKoon: 404-463-3931 jrm2016@yahoo.com

    Senator Gloria Butler: 404-656-0075 gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov

    Senator Frank Ginn: 404-656-4700 frank.ginn@senate.ga.gov

    Senator Steve Henson: 404-656-0085 steve.henson@senate.ga.gov; stevehenson@mindspring.com

    Senator Jack Hill: 404-656-5038 jack.hill@senate.ga.gov

    Senator George Hooks: 404-656-0065 george.hooks@senate.ga.gov

    Senator Rick Jeffares: 404-656-0503 rick.jeffares@senate.ga.gov

    Thank you so much! People like you and Bill Monning are front line heroes!

  3. Ron says:

    Besides all the FCC-related shortcomings, PG$E smeters are not UL certified. Virtually every other electrical device used in our homes of both domestic and foreign manufacture is required by California State Electrical Code to have UL certification. None of those other devices have running through them the entirety of house current consumed. But the smeters do. So why should these crucially positioned outlaw meters be exempt from UL certification requirements?
    The results are graphically depicted in this fire-alarming photo:
    http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/160-SantaRosa-SM-fire-3.jpg

  4. Electra says:

    Sorry about that. Senator David Shafer’s email address is actually david.shafer@senate.ga.gov. Thanks for your patience!

  5. Electra says:

    O. k., I see my comment hasn’t been published, probably because it’s too long. Here’s a truncated version:

    There is an emergency “smart” meter situation in Georgia I hope you will help with. I just learned that the Senate Bill 459, to allow a PAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF from smeters option, is going to be whisked into the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee at 3:00 this afternoon! As you know, we should not have to pay to have an untested-for-human-safety meter on the sides of our homes, radiating us night and day.

    I’d like to request that Georgians call the three senators who sponsored the bill (so happens, one heads up the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, and another sponsor is on it!), and let them know that public hearings should be held, before this bill goes any further. Tell them we should not have to pay to protect ourselves – that’s blackmail!

    Here are the numbers (the first three people are the bill’s sponsors):

    Senator David Shafer: 404-656-0048 david.shafer@senate.ga.gov (Senator Shafer is also the chairman of the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee.)

    Senator Buddy Carter: 404-656-5109 bcarter331@aol.com (Senator Carter is also on the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee.)

    Senator Greg Goggans: 404-463-5263 goggans@vzw.blackberry.com

    These rest of the Committee’s contacts can be found at: http://www.senate.ga.gov/senators/en-US/SenateMembersList.aspx

    Thanks so much!

  6. Carl Hoffman says:

    signing that petition isn’t something i can do about extortionate opt out fees;
    it only says that we won’t pay which of course is not an option to us since we need and for all i know are required to have power in the house and thanks to the inaction and complicity of local and state government, we can’t afford to sue and take on these jerks as individuals.

  7. Ron says:

    Called Assemblyman Monning’s office at the number given. They said they don’t know anything about this bill, and asked for a bill number?

  8. Electra says:

    I just got an update from Jackie at the office of Georgia Senator Buddy Carter. She says that Senate Bill 459 is still sitting in committee!

    A little refresher on what that means (except ours is on the state level): Schoolhouse Rock, “I’m only a Bill”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-eYBZFEzf8

    This is good news, as it will give us more time to call/email the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee and demand a free opt-out option>an opt-in option>get these things off ALL of our homes and businesses!

    Thanks to everyone who helped out – *you* rock! And a special “thank you” to StopSmartMeters.org for putting this Georgia news and our new website’s address (www.stopsmartmetersgeorgia.org) on their front page. That means alot to everyone here. (:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-eYBZFEzf8

  9. Soapbox Jill says:

    I had agreed to pay $50 extra per quarter to opt out of having a transmitting town water meter in our basement. They agreed after my doctor wrote a letter about my health. They said the extra processing and meter reading would cost more and it wasn’t fair to have taxpayers pay for my meter reading. I believed them and agreed, even tho’ I needed the opt out for health reasons. And that’s how it is in Wisconsin where I am.

  10. Kevin A says:

    I would love to see any data or reasearch that has been done to show that smart meters are a health threat.

    i read your entire website and all i see is pandering to peoples emotions. I WANT STUDIES.

  11. @ Kevin A:

    Studies on health effects of Smart Meter do not exist. Sorry, you’re just going to have to wait. In the meantime, I would suggest you read up on the non-thermal biological effects of radio frequency electromagnetic fields. As you may know, there is a bit of controversy in this area. Like candy bars and soda set out to be impulsively purchased at checkout, it may be easier to find industry-funded non-information than the actual truth of the matter. It’s ultimately up to you to decide whether to adopt a precautionary approach, or believe the folks who stand to profit, despite your headache, sleeplessness, tinnitus, anxiety, nausea, etc… Once you “get it,” there’s no going back.

  12. Josh del Sol says:

    re: Studies… Here’s a excellent resource… list of 69 published studies, and the health effects summary for each:

    http://smartmeterfilm.com/documents/Comprehensive_list_of_69_EMR_studies_with_summaries.pdf

    As far as smart meters, we measured 198,000 mW/m2 for a bank of 14 smart meters at a distance of 1-5 feet average. There was no peak hold function on the testing device, so it was very likely higher than this. This is 198 times higher than the threshold for ‘extreme concern’ as set by Germany’s Building Biology guidelines. No wonder why people are needing to flee their homes in droves.

  13. Josh del Sol says:

    ps: any update on this legislation?

  14. Take the country back! Everyone please get on board in every state to stop ths madness and to say no! we are in michigan! we have 2 bills hb 5411 and hb 5439! we are fighting here! http://www.w4ar.com please visit the site. pauline holeton

  15. American Dave says:

    I will play your Game Kevin A:

    Where are the studies proving that they are in fact safe? Please send me your studies to prove they are safe. Thank you .

  16. Pingback: A Primer on the FCC Guidelines for the Smart Meter Age | Stop Smart Meters!

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