Stop Smart Meters! Bulletin

Vol. 1 September 7^th, 2010

https://stopsmartmeters.org

Contact: joshuanoahhart@gmail.com

What is Stop Smart Meters!?

Growing out of the grassroots group Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters, which was started back in June, Stop Smart Meters! has now evolved into a statewide advocacy, media outreach, and direct action group providing activism consultation and advice to dozens of local groups sprouting up all around the state who are fighting the wireless ‘smart’ meter assault.  We’ve been receiving about a hundred e-mails and phone calls each week from individual citizens, the media, and elected officials from all over the country, which has certainly been keeping us busy.

The smart meter assault is a huge threat to our health and wellbeing.   But it is also an opportunity and a teachable moment about the dangers of wireless technology, corporate control, and false solutions to a looming climate catastrophe.   With your help, we can work toward a truly sustainable, equitable and democratic energy system, and new wireless standards that will put human and environmental health before profit.  The ‘smart’ meter fight has brought about new, unlikely political alliances between disparate ends of the political spectrum.   With your help, we plan on strengthening these new ties for the battles to come.

More info, regular news updates and analysis at our new shorter, easier-to-remember website: https://stopsmartmeters.org

 

Appeal for Financial Contributions

Three months ago, we hadn’t even heard of ‘smart’ meters.  Ah the good old days when our utility company wasn’t trying to radiate us, overcharge us, and invade our privacy.   Since we received our installation warning letter from PG&E in June, we’ve been working more than full time against ‘smart’ meters.   We’ve had to give up our regular paid employment, and go into an emergency response mode to educate ourselves about the issues, and educate the public through the media.  This all costs money, and we now appeal to you to help us carry on the work we have been doing.   We’d like to expand our operation, track all ordinances and resolutions statewide, disseminate the facts about smart meters throughout the state, and carry on pitching stories to the media.  We’d also like to investigate and report on privacy issues in more depth.  But we cannot do this without your help.   Even if it’s only a small amount, it really means a lot to us.   Please contact us at joshuanoahhart[at]gmail[dot]com if you can help out.

Also, please support our allies at the EMF Safety Network and the Ecological Options Network, who are also working hard against the ‘smart’ meter threat.

Santa Cruz County Protest Update

On August 26^th, following PG&E’s arrogant decision to continue ‘smart’ meter installation despite local government unanimity in Santa Cruz County that the ‘smart’ meter program must be halted, Stop Smart Meters! held a protest outside the Wellington Energy yard in Capitola at 38^th and Portola.   Our daily, early morning protests successfully shut down operations for four days, and PG&E was unwilling to press charges when we blockaded their trucks in the yard.  The successful direct action generated extensive media coverage and added to political pressure on the County Supervisors, who will be considering passing a law banning ‘smart’ meters at their meeting next week. (please call them at 831 454 2200 and support this!)

You can watch our 15-minute video covering these dramatic events here.   Since last Tuesday, PG&E has moved their trucks to a secret, undisclosed location and as far as we know they continue to force their (not so) smart meters onto the people of Santa Cruz County.   As a result, we are calling for a….

Statewide Wellington Watch

We are calling on the public to help us with a ‘Wellington Watch’ throughout the state.   If you see any white trucks with a shell on the back and the words “Wellington Energy” on the doors, please follow them and report the location of their operational yards to us.  Working together, we can stop this undemocratic microwave trespass on our homes and businesses.

Local Political Update

On Friday, Sept. 3^rd we met with State Assemblymember Bill Monning to discuss the ‘smart’ meter problem and update him on local government opposition to the program.   He has agreed to demand answers of the CPUC about health concerns.   State Senator Dean Florez of Bakersfield has scheduled a hearing on ‘smart’ meters in Sacramento on Thurs. Sept. 16^th.   Everyone is encouraged to attend and speak out.

The number of local governments opposed to the ‘smart’ meter program continues to grow.   A total of 3 counties and 17 cities throughout CA have now formally opposed PG&E’s plans.   The updated list can be found here at the EMF Safety Network site.  Is your city or county on the list?  Why not adapt our letter and send it to them today?  Sample letter here.

Media Update and Links

There has been an absolute flood of media coverage of the smart meter debacle, some of it great and informed, and some of it downright deceptive.  The good news is that the health issue is being covered more than ever before.  Here are some highlights:

Joshua Hart of Stop Smart Meters! interviewed on KSCO- great radio show with call-ins!

http://www.ksco.com/podcasts/saturday-special

Lindsay Riddell of Business Times backtracks after calling electrosensitive people ‘crazy’

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2010/09/for_smart_meters_if_its_not_one_thing_its_another.html

Video coverage of our Santa Cruz County Protests

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13092131

Great, educational article with Monterey County powerhouse activist Nina Beety:

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/archives/2010/2010-Sep-02/smartmeters-coming-to-monterey-county-despite-health-and-financial-concerns/1/@@index

ABC7 report on accuracy report, barely mentions health impacts

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=7646336

Sentinel/ SJ Merc Report on Accuracy Study and Santa Cruz Blockades

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15977257

USA Today Report, barely mentions health concerns and tows PG&E corporate line

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-09-03-smartgrid03_ST_N.htm

KQED Blog coverage, covers local govt uprising but not really the reasons behind it:

http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/09/02/cpuc-says-smart-meters-are-accurate/

Inaccurate, biased report either confused about the report or purposely misleading- objection filed:

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13093970

Smart Meter would be smarter if it could talk to my energy wasting kids:

http://www.theunion.com/article/20100907/OPINION/100909807/1024

Greenwashed article from Treehugger (not a surprise)

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/09/ask-pablo-is-my-smart-meter-going-to-kill-me.php?campaign=top_news

Opinion piece from Robert Kavet at the EPRI, downplaying  health concerns

http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_16003651?source=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Santa Rosa Press Democrat: PG&E report doesn’t address health concerns http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100902/articles/100909857

 

Senator Dean Florez and many other were not satisfied with the Structure Group study:

http://www.turnto23.com/news/24858807/detail.html

 

KPIX Coverage- GREAT and refreshing coverage of health testimony at CPUC

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=68638@kpix.dayport.com

 

Coverage of a Fairfax resident who got a smart meter despite town’s law

http://sananselmofairfax.patch.com/articles/pge-violates-moratorium

 

Chamber of Commerce Calls Upon SF to Drop Petition:

http://sfappeal.com/alley/2010/09/report-pges-smart-meters-work-great-their-customer-service-just-sucks.php

 

KPFA Report from Saturday with interviews from Josh Hart, Sandi Maurer, and Stephany Aguilar (starts at 13:00):

http://kpfa.org/archive/id/63759

 

Coverage of Novato Decision Against Smart Meters:

http://www.marinscope.com/articles/2010/09/01/novato_advance/news/doc4c7ec34e48dca658914553.txt

 

Attack of the killer smart meters!:

http://www.pacificsun.com/news/show_story.php?id=2099

 

Smart Meter Causes Interference to Baby Monitors, other devices

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_16007725?nclick_check=1

 

September 2^nd CPUC Meeting- Video (click on Sept 2 meeting, 1st video)

http://www.californiaadmin.com/cpuc.shtml

 

Indymedia Coverage (thank god for Indymedia!)

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/08/31/18657278.php

Upcoming Events

TONIGHT!:  Corte Madera Town Council Meeting

7:30 PM Tuesday Sept. 7^th 300 Tamalpias Ave, Corte madera, CA

TONIGHT! Sept. 7th 6:45 pm, City Council & strategy meeting- for Sebastopol, West County areas

Sept. 8, 6-9pm PG&E presentation in Fairfax: The Fairfax Community Church, 2398 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.

Sept. 11 Noon-1pm KSCO radio show with Josh Hart and Capitola Councilmember Dennis Norton

Sept. 13, Mon., 7 pm Nina Beety vs PG&E at Citizens for Sustainable Marina, Monterey Cty.

Sept. 14^th 10am -Marin County Supervisors–Supervisors Chambers

Sept. 14^th: San Anselmo Town Council Meeting

Sept. 14^th: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Meeting- they will vote on a ban!

Sept. 15^th 6pm: Scotts Valley City Council meeting. 1 Civic Center Drive, SV

Attend and demand a ban!

Sept. 15th 7pm:  Freedom Forum:  Are “Smart Meters” Really Smart?– talk with Dr. Karl Maret, Joshua Hart, and Councilmember Dennis Norton at the Live Oak Grange in Santa Cruz, 1900 17^th Ave.

Sept. 16^th: State Sen. Dean Florez is convening a hearing on ‘smart’ meters at the state Capitol

October 5-8^th Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association Conference, San Francisco (they are suing SF for requiring radiation levels on cell phones!)

More details on events at: http://smartmeters.transbay.net/doku.php

Links

Stop Smart Meters! https://stopsmartmeters.org

Smart Meters Wiki

http://smartmeters.transbay.net/doku.php

EMF Safety Network

http://emfsafetynetwork.org

Ecological Options Network

http://eon3.net

Environmental Health Trust

http://environmentalhealthtrust.org/

If you’d like to be removed from this list, please e-mail us at joshuanoahhart@gmail.com and we will do so immediately.  ~Thank you for your support!~  – Stop Smart Meters!