Group of Inverness Residents Stand up to PG&E, Block Trucks, Demand a Stop to Smart Meters.
Point Reyes Station, CA- Two mothers from West Marin County were arrested this morning after PG&E ordered Sheriffs deputies to clear the two out of the way as a group of concerned residents gathered on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Inverness Park to deny access to PG&E’s ‘smart’ meter contractors Wellington Energy. According to Elizabeth Whitney, a local who was present at the scene, “there was a group of about two dozen residents blocking about ten Wellington Energy trucks on Sir Francis Drake Blvd this morning. After some indecision and confusion amid stopped traffic, sheriffs deputies arrived on the scene. Under the direction of the sheriffs, eight of the trucks cooperated in making U-turns and turning back while the group stepped aside. The remaining two trucks lingered at the location (in front of a local delicatessen) in friendly conversation with the locals but then turned toward Inverness unexpectedly and caused the protest group to resume their blockade. Two local mothers were arrested and taken into custody for failure to disperse. Sir Francis Drake Blvd. is the only access to Inverness and the incident took place in Inverness Park, two miles south of the town.”
Residents are reacting in part to numerous reports of people getting sick from the high intensity microwave radiation pulses from the new meters. Wireless impulses from the new meters radiate 24 hours a day and are approximately 2-3 times the intensity of a cell phone according to independent experts. Cell phones are increasingly being linked to brain tumors, and other health problems. Despite widespread calls for a moratorium until assurances can be made about the meters’ safety, PG&E- with the help of the industry backed CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)- continues to force the meters onto homes and businesses, even while a state-ordered investigation into ‘smart’ meter health impacts is under way. The utility has been refusing to remove meters that are making people sick, despite more than 2000 health complaints to the CPUC.
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PG&E and its subcontractors Wellington Energy have been using more aggressive installation tactics, and according to locals, appear to be almost waging war on its customers. “Why are they in such a hurry? If this technology is safe and their goal is to reach out to the customer and listen to their concerns, then why are they trying to install smart meters as fast as possible in West Marin? Why aggressively roll out a technology on an unwilling customer base, it just doesn’t make sense in terms of their PR.” Said Scott McMorrow of Inverness.
According to Katharina Sandizell of Point Reyes Station, a mother of two, and one of the women who was arrested this morning, “PG&E is using shock and awe tactics on it’s customers. Smart meters are being installed without public consent, without even knocking on doors to check if it’s safe to turn off the electricity. They are rolling over civil liberties and getting these things installed as quickly as possible so that people don’t have time to consider the implications or ask questions. If they have nothing to hide, then what’s the rush?”
“We will continue to risk arrest to protect our children, our community, and our civil liberties…the only way that I know to stop installation of smart meters is to put a body between the installer and the meter, and I will continue to do this until I don’t have to anymore. But I would rather be at home with my daughter” said Miss June of Inverness, a working mother who was also arrested today.
KQED radio reports from the scene
