Peril on the Road: Submit Comments to DOT on Wireless Mandated Vehicles By Monday Evening

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Josh Hart
Aside from health, what are the safety implications of ramping up wireless exposures to millions of electro-intolerant drivers?

Aside from health, what are the safety implications of ramping up wireless exposures to millions of electro-intolerant drivers?

Not in our car!

US Department of Transportation Set to “Mandate” 5.8 GHz Wireless Antennas in all Cars

The Department of Transportation is proposing to require “vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication in all light vehicles in the United States. More info including a press release below.

***Comments to the Dept. of Transportation were due Oct 20***

It’s not going to make our roadways any safer if we’re causing heart problems, blurry vision, or headaches in drivers.

Docket No.NHTSA–2014–0022

Click on this link to read others comments

Quote from the USDOT press release:
“Safety is our top priority, and V2V technology represents the next great advance in saving lives,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

From a press release in February:
“V2V technology does not involve exchanging or recording personal information or tracking vehicle movements. The information sent between vehicles does not identify those vehicles, but merely contains basic safety data. In fact, the system as contemplated contains several layers of security and privacy protection to ensure that vehicles can rely on messages sent from other vehicles and that a vehicle or group of vehicles would be identifiable through defined procedures only if there is a need to fix a safety problem.”

Here is my comment to the DOT:
——

From: Josh Hart, Director, Stop Smart Meters!

I have a Masters Degree in Transportation Planning from the University of the West of England in Bristol, UK, and more than four years experience working to document and reverse the community and individual health damage occurring from wireless technology.

I also have personal experience with electro-sensitivity.  In certain situations when exposed to wireless radiation from wireless devices or cell towers, I have experienced headaches, sudden nausea, heart palpitations and other symptoms.  

Requiring a device- on every car in the United States- which emits microwave frequencies that can cause these kinds of symptoms in drivers- can in no way be described as a “safety project.”  

Such a project needs to be put on hold indefinitely, in light of emerging evidence of the carcinogenicity and neurological impairment that can be caused by exposure to wireless radiation, particularly from multiple sources at once, such as with a future scenario from the car’s wi-fi, personal cell phone, nearby cell tower, V2V transmitter, nearby smart meters, etc.  

The effect of such radiation is cumulative.  Those drivers needing to limit the radiation in their cars- for medical reasons- should be able to do so.  Public transit should have “quiet areas” with no wireless use allowed.

Mandating a toxic “possibly carcinogenic” (according to the World Health Organization) radiation emitter in everyone’s car is a violation of the ADA and will be inviting mass non-participation and project failure if it is allowed to proceed without an investigation into the driver safety impacts of exposure to high frequency pulsed microwave radiation.

And speaking personally,

You will have to pry my cold, dead fingers from the steering wheel before I will ever let you install one of these in my car.“

www.safercar.gov/v2v

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
On page 6 are more specific instructions for submitting comments.
Press release

§Read the ANPRM
§Read “Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications: Readiness of V2V Technology for Application” research report
§The ANPRM will be available at the Regulations.gov docket (NHTSA-2014-0022) and members of the public will have the opportunity to comment for 60 days
§Go to NHTSA’s V2V Communications site for more information

Posted in health effects, radio-frequency radiation, Safety | 1 Comment

The People Speak Out at the CPUC: Oct. 2nd 2014

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Josh Hart

Posted in California, Citizen rebellion, CPUC, Democracy, Electro-Hyper-Sensitivity, Environmental Concerns, neighborhood organizing, PSREC, radio-frequency radiation, Safety, Smart Grid | Leave a comment

Residents of Alamo Heights in San Antonio, Texas Win Support of City Council in “Spark Meter” Battle

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Josh Hart
Dozens of residents speak to Alamo Heights City Council on Monday evening

Dozens of residents speak to Alamo Heights City Council on Monday evening

ALAMO HEIGHTS, TX—  Monday evening, more than 20 residents spoke out at the city council meeting of this San Antonio, TX suburb where municipal utility CPS Energy plans an imminent installation of smart meters.  After hearing from dozens of residents, the city council voted during closed session to send a letter to CPS asking for a 1 year moratorium on any smart meter installations within the city.  It remains to be seen to what extent the utility will respect this request.

Opposition is being organized and led by the fledgling but fast growing Stop Smart Meters! San Antonio.  We have been working closely with the group over the past few weeks, providing technical and strategic assistance as they launch their local campaign.

Three thousand brochures based on the Stop Smart Meters! design have been sent to every household in Alamo Heights and these have boosted resident awareness and participation in the political process.  In response, the CPS propaganda machine is busily spreading misinformation in the area.

Susan Straus and her cat Oliver

Susan Straus and her cat Oliver

The founder of the group is Susan Straus, a Trager bodywork therapist, artist, and animal rescuer who grew up in Alamo Heights.  Realizing the implications of a smart meter deployment in their community, Susan and another local San Antonio group, Coalition for Safe Meters, has mobilized a group of professional and educated residents to speak out.

One of those people who has mobilized is Elliot Weser, MD Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio who wrote to the council two weeks ago the following:

“There is substantial documented data and reports of house and apartment fires attributed to these Smart Meters (all brands), as well as risks of biomedical effects and serious illnesses from the radiation associated with the electromagnetic fields generated by Smart Meters and the grid it creates. Additionally, they impose definite risks for further invasion of our right to privacy, by making our personal activities and habits available for monitoring and control, and possible distribution to unauthorized persons or corporations.”

The Alamo Heights Mule: Stomping out the problem

The Alamo Heights Mule: Dealing with unwanted equipment

Stop Smart Meters! San Antonio’s case has also been strengthened by the recent tragic events in Reno.   Only the most unscrupulous and unreasonable utility executive would recommend proceeding with a new smart meter deployment while they are being investigated (and in many cases, recalled) for causing home fires and multiple fatalities.

The massive public response to the city council meeting on Monday evening has emboldened the group, who are now planning to beef up their outreach activities in preparation for what appears to be an imminent forced deployment.   The group plans to initiate a community planning process that will decide what an adequate response will be if CPS does decide to try and install against the city’s wishes.

Susan tells StopSmartMeters.Org:

“This has been a huge learning curve for me- I have spent more than 500 hours since July 24th researching smart meters and I am truly appalled by what I have learned.  I had no clue what smart meters even were.  Now, knowing the truth, I feel like the utilities are overstepping boundaries and our property rights are being taken away- unless we stand our ground.”

She goes on to say:

“Our group is grateful to Josh Hart and the team at StopSmartMeters.org for bringing us to this point with their expertise and moral leadership. With your assistance, we have now successfully convinced our city council to stand with us for a moratorium.  We expect CPS to respect our local democratic process, and there will certainly be repercussions if that does not happen.”

MySanAntonio article on Alamo Heights resident mobilization

Local TV Coverage on Fox 29 San Antonio: “Homeowners ask Leaders to Stop Smart Meter Installation”

You can contact Susan and Stop Smart Meters! San Antonio at:    info[at]sanantoniosmartmeterawareness[dot]org

Update 9/26: CPS has sent an arrogant and demeaning letter to the City of Alamo Heights referring to “several” citizens concerns when in fact the demand for a moratorium was from the city as a whole.  They also claim that they were planning to install in Spring 2015 all along (another lie: smart meter installation was imminent, and in fact delayed by the city’s courageous actions.)

Posted in Citizen rebellion, Democracy, Fires, neighborhood organizing, Safety, Smart Grid, Texas | Comments Off on Residents of Alamo Heights in San Antonio, Texas Win Support of City Council in “Spark Meter” Battle

Demonstrate and Speak Out at October 2nd CPUC Meeting

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Josh Hart

-6Demonstrate Thursday, Oct. 2 8:30am- then…

Speak at CPUC Meeting 9:30am 505 Van Ness SF

Rumor has it that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is preparing to make a decision in the smart meter opt out proceeding case, after delaying for more than a year.

Stop Smart Meters! and allied groups are calling for people to demonstrate outside and speak inside at the CPUC’s October 2nd regular business meeting to demand an end to Michael Peevey, and an end to the sleaze and corruption that line the CPUC’s halls.

Remember the public participation hearings in December of 2012 where more than 500 Californians spoke out against smart meters and the “opt out” fees that the utilities are using to prop up a hazardous and failing smart grid?

Now nearly two years later, and the CPUC has failed to rule on the issue and remained silent about the serious risks brought to its attention by the public, whistleblowers, and local politicians.  Perhaps they are hoping that if they drag this out long enough, people (and their complaints) will just go away.  Just the reverse is more likely.  If you ignore a festering wound, it just gets worse.

The CPUC that has been roundly criticized by the media, the public, and even its own staff over inappropriate and illegal collusion between Commissioners and PG&E as part of the San Bruno case.  This echoes our own experience of collusion between PG&E and the CPUC during the “Ralph” spy case in 2010, where it appeared that CPUC staff, paid by taxpayers, were actually working for PG&E rather than the public.

Meanwhile, neighboring Nevada has launched an inquiry into dozens of fire and electrical incidents from smart meters after a 61 year old woman and her animals were killed and a man’s face was burned in Reno earlier this year.

The house of cards is falling, all it needs is a little nudge from you, California:

DEMONSTRATION Thursday, October 2nd 8:30am  505 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco at the corner of McAllister under the Great Seal of the State of California.  Meeting starts at 9:30am.  Sign in at the table in the foyer, but even if you don’t, you are entitled to speak for at least one minute if you arrive before the end of public comment.  Yes we know it is a toxic atmosphere there (in more ways than one) but especially if you have never spoken out at a meeting, it is important to get the facts on the record.

Here is some of what we plan to say:

1) Demand that Michael Peevey and Michael Florio immediately resign, as they have shown repeatedly that they are not capable of making decisions in the public interest.

2) Demand an end to extortionate “opt out” fees and a full refund to any customer who has paid them with the incorrect assumption that these are legal fees.

3) Not interfere with community opt out decisions made by elected local governments

4) Immediately launch an independent investigation into the widely documented health and fire hazards of smart meters. (Nevada PUC has ordered a preliminary fire investigation this week)

5) Order So Cal Gas and SCE to cease double charging many Southern Californian customers opt out fees

6) Call on the state legislature to dissolve the CPUC and put an end to the “corruptness and sleazy environment (led by) an untouchable mob boss” (this according to CPUC’s own staff)

If you can’t attend the meeting (or even if you can) write an e-mail that includes the above numbered points and send to CPUC Commissioners:

CPUC Commissioners (cut and paste into the “to” field of your e-mail):

cjs@cpuc.ca.gov, mp1@cpuc.ca.gov, mp6@cpuc.ca.gov, mf1@cpuc.ca.gov, cap@cpuc.ca.gov

Please Cc Sandoval’s aide and key legislators from the Assembly Budget Subcommittee that grilled the PUC last year. (cut and paste into your e-mail’s Cc field)

dmk@cpuc.ca.gov, sean.macneil@asm.ca.gov, steve.harmon@asm.ca.gov, lucas.frerichs@asm.ca.gov, vance.jarrard@asm.ca.gov, assemblymember.patterson@assembly.ca.gov, gabrielle.meindl@asm.ca.gov, michael.bedard@asm.ca.gov, jchris.holtz@asm.ca.gov

Thank you for taking action to remove Michael Peevey and to return sanity and safety to the policy debate around smart meters.  See you on the 2nd!

Posted in Animal Harm, California, Citizen rebellion, CPUC, Democracy, Fires, legal issues, neighborhood organizing, Nevada, PG&E, San Francisco | 1 Comment

PSREC Confused About The Law (Again)

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Josh Hart
cut off

SSM! Founder Josh Hart went to the local rural electric “cooperative” to speak to other members about how PSREC has singled his family out for disconnection and retribution.

While Reno, NV Fire Chief Tom Garrison was holding a press conference on Saturday about the series of fires likely caused by “smart” meters that have led to at least one death, an hour’s drive to the northwest, Plumas Sierra Rural Electric “Co-op” (PSREC) were desperately attempting to quash any discussion of the safety problems with their own smart meters.

PSREC cut off our electricity on Feb. 19th for refusing to pay  smart meter “opt out fees.”  We thought that was rather rude.  And we didn’t think much of the intimidation tactics, coercion, yelling or lying that followed it.  But sadly it is what we have come to expect from the electric utility industry in 2014.  On Saturday, rather than ensuring the safety of their grid, it seemed that PSREC’s staff were far busier monitoring and attempting to suppress our demonstration, filming us and walkie-talkie-ing with each other.

Though PSREC is still sending us monthly member bills for “opt out” charges we never agreed to, and which other members with analogs are not being billed for, they refused entry to their annual member meeting, stripping me of membership and the right to vote in the board election without explanation.  They told me if I attempted to attend the meeting, I would be arrested for trespassing on their property. So much for democracy!

Not in the mood for a visit to the County jail, I went back to the public highway and held a sign and spoke to passersby in front of their HQ.   But that wasn’t good enough for PSREC.  They had already ‘dismembered‘ me- now they wanted me gone.

While they summoned every law enforcement resource within a hundred square miles, I peacefully demonstrated and distributed our brochures to members attending the Annual Meeting and Luncheon.  Most people were supportive and had heard about our mistreatment by the utility.

I asked the PSREC employees “guarding” me whether they were requiring an extra fee to use the disabled parking in front of their offices: “That’s your thing, right?  Charging more to people with medical conditions?”  I advised them if they wanted to suppress freedom of speech more effectively that they might “want to buy up the whole county” because that type of thing generally isn’t allowed on public property.

PSREC tried to get us removed from the highway in front of their HQ by calling the CHP.

PSREC tried (in vain) to get us removed from the highway in front of their HQ by calling the CHP and Sheriff’s Dept.

A California Highway Patrol Officer showed up and suggested that I should “move down the highway a little” to get out of the way.  Finally common sense and the law prevailed, and a female officer from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Dept. showed up and confirmed I had every right to be there and to express my point of view, and PSREC could do nothing about it.   We chatted for several minutes about the hazards of smart meters, and how PSREC had mistreated our family, while the utility’s staff glared.

IMG_3203

PSREC Staff (in blue) chat with a CHP officer they had summoned to deal with the “emergency” of being confronted by their own negligence

In spite of PSREC’s best efforts to undermine freedom of speech and suppress the truth about their unlawful abuse of customers and their hazardous smart meters, the First Amendment remains the law of the land.

Though a local newspaper reporter interviewed me and took my photo, not a word was mentioned in the paper this week.  Smoky the Bear’s appearance at the meeting was apparently more worthy of space in the local rag than people being killed  by smart meter fires in Reno, or locals who refuse to pay to avoid the deadly meters getting their power cut off and harassed with threats of arrest.

Fred Nelson, one of the PSREC board members walked by on the way to the meeting and I told him we would like our electricity turned back on before winter.  He glanced back with a smirk, and said, “you know the deal.”

We do know the deal, Fred- and the deal is rotten.

IMG_3212

While Reno’s paper focused on the hazards to life and property posed by smart meters…..

IMG_3210

….50 miles away, the local Portola Reporter was more interested in what people were eating, as well as a man dressed in a Smoky the Bear suit.

 

 

Posted in California, Citizen rebellion, Democracy, legal issues, neighborhood organizing, Nevada, Plumas County, Police, PSREC, Safety, Smart Grid | 7 Comments