CEP Smart Meter Opt-Out Proposal for CPUC 7.28.11

8/6/2019 CEP Smart Meter Opt-Out Proposal for CPUC 7.28.11

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~Center for Electrosmog Prevention (CEP) Smart Meter ~fWorkshop Date/Scope Suggestions; CEP Opt-Out ProposPresented to ALJ Amy C. Yip-Kikugawa, California Public Regulatory Commiss{Mj_59PM

July 28, 2011

Desired Date for Workshop: Sept. 12,2011Suggested Scope of the Opt-Out Workshop Sept, 2011:

1. CPUC ALJ consider all opt-out options / proposals and enter each one of theseproposals into the public record.

2. CPUC ALJ consider criteria for opt-outs.3. CPUC ALJ consider cost issues of opt-outs.4. CPUC ALJ consider and issue appropriate, immediate emergency opt-out measures

to provide relief for Californians with medical complaints related to smart meterinstallations and for those who wish protection from potential health effects.

5. The workshop should address the information on health effects that are relevant to

the Smart Grid proposals and the Opt-Out proceeding, as this is a primary reasonfor opt-out discussions and public concern.

a. CPUC and utilities present a complete compilation and summary of allstudies and reports of any kind related to health and safety of smart meters,rf emissions, and electromagnetic fields commissioned or reviewed by utilitycompanies and the CPUC during the development and implementation

period of the smart meter project.b. Allow Parties to have the option to present expert letters and a compilation

and/or summaries of all studies and reports related to health and safety of

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Center for Electrosmog Prevention (CEP) Smart Meter Opt-OutWorkshop Date/Scope Suggestions; CEP Opt-Out ProposalPresented to ALJ Amy C. Yip-Kikugawa, California Public Regulatory Commission

July 28, 2011

smart meters, rf emissions, and electromagnetic fields, to be entered into thepublic record.

6. CPUC and utilities present a complete, sorted data set of all California consumersmart meter complainants to utilities and the CPUC, including but not limited tothose with health complaints. Complainants to be sorted by type of complaint(health etc.), number of complaints per consumer, and dates of complaint(s).

7. Utilities present complete data sets and summary of comparisons on cost of analogmeters and transmitter-ofT smart meters when read by a meter reader, as well asanalog meters vs. smart meters using both wireless and wired transmissions.

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CEP's Smart Meter Opt-out ProposalCEP requests that CPUC implement the following Opt-out Measures for SDG&E and all otherutilities in CA. These are practical, vital requests to reinstitute the health and safety ofCalifornians, extrapolated from the advisement of world health authorities, based on thousandsof scientific studies. These measures are reasonable solutions that will allow immediateprotection of the most sensitive sectors of the public, followed swiftly by protection of the entiregeneral public. The citizens of California should not have to pay for mistakes such as thewireless smart meter program whose architects ignored science and proceeded even when healtheffects were pouring in by the thousands. It is CEP's position that smart meters with transmitters

turned off are an unacceptable choice.CEP requests that CPUC and utilities provide immediate relief and protections for the publicas follows:Immediate Relief:1. Pay particular attention to person complaining of any medical issues or exacerbationsof medical issues following installation of wireless smart meters, intolerance to

radiation and/or electromagnetic fields, or medical concerns about installed orplanned installations of smart meters, and introduce special measures to immediatelyprotect them. We suggest that the following be immediately adopted:

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a. All utility customers in the state of California who have any concernsabout smart meters are to be offered an immediate, no-cost change out toand use of a traditional analog meter within 7 days.

b. All utility customers in the state of California with a concern about smartmeters shall be granted the ability to keep their analog meters, if theyhave not yet received a smart meter.

c. Utility customers who opt-out shall be afforded a no-cost 200 foot no-wireless smart meter perimeter from their residences.

d. Group no-cost, analog opt-outs are to be allowed, including condoassociations, residential communities, and any type of municipality.

2. Banks of smart meters in planned developments, apartment, commercial orresidential groupings or condo units will be immediately removed and replacedwith analog meters, as the combined emissions are a greater risk for all andcannot be reduced adequately for sensitive individuals who request opt-outs.

3. The utility will also remove all wireless collector meters immediately and replacethem with analog meters. The utility will be ordered to remove all additional antennasaround the State that are part ofthe smart grid system within 30 days.

4. The CPUC should order an immediate halt to data received or sent by automaticmeter readers and requires all current smart meters be immediately disabled fromtransmitting or receiving data. No underground or above ground wireless

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transmission signals of any kind shall be allowed for any power, gas, or water utilitiesthroughout the State.

5. CPUC should order an immediate and permanent halt on any plans to increasethe rate or number of transmissions or signal strength in any smart meter as thismay compound health and safety problems.

6. Issuance by CPUC of an immediate moratorium on the installation of all types ofautomatic and/or wireless metering devices, including but not limited to smartmeters, by any utilities in California.

Replacement and Costs of Smart Meters in General:1. A no cost replacement of automatic metering devices/smart meters to analog meterswithin 2 months for all customers, to protect the public health and welfare of humans,pets, animals, insect populations, wildlife and the environment. This will be done atno cost to the customer; as the ratepayers should not be held responsible for the costsof either implementing or mitigating this dangerous smart meter plan that did not takeinto consideration the thousands of available studies and scientific warningsavailable.

2. Full disclosure shall be made of all the costs incurred by the utilities, to date, for theremoval of analog meters and replacement by smart meters, also the subsequentremoval and replacement of smart meters with analog meters, so that customers willnot be charged for these individually or as a whole.

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Disclosure:1. Establish public information and awareness-raising campaigns within 30 days andcontinue on an on-going basis on the risks of all possible harmful long-term health orbiological effects [from electromagnetic fields] on the environment and on human health,pets, animals, insect populations wildlife, or the environment as determined byindependent researchers, scientists, and experts in the field of electromagnetic radiationand in particular RF radiation. These campaigns should especially target all possibleeffects of electromagnetic radiation on children, teenagers and young people ofreproductive age. Content of notification to be approved by CEP and associates.

2. The public shall be notified in billing statements and media, of the full range ofcomplaints about wireless smart meters, with content of notification to be approved byCEP and associates.

3. Full disclosure by the utility for smart grid deployment efforts and/or plans for smartmeters uses, in totality, for all uses planned or to be planned in the future including butnot limited to collector meters, locations of antennas, signal strength, distribution(s) ofdata to marketing firms, and any planned changes, in easy to understand language forreview and approval by the general public.

4. All utilities must publish within 30 days all of the functional specifications of the metersnow being installed, including their block diagrams, schematics, or bill of materials. The

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scientific community has been prevented from identifying any of the design problemsprior to their installations. Utilities must also provide smart meters to any researcher whowants to investigate the possible damage to human, pets, animals, insect populations, andwildlife that may have already occurred.

5. All utility customers be notified of the possibility of fire and explosions from smartmeters and afforded the opportunity for immediate no-cost change out and use of atraditional analog meter if they encounter appliance losses, humming, or intermittentpower outages.

Overall Needs:1. The CPUC and all utilities will use the precautionary safety principle risk assessments thatare prevention orientated when implementing current or future services and/or making anydecisions regarding changes to those services. Now, and at no time in the future, shall anyutility deliver services in a manner that places the health or safety of the public, theenvironment, wildlife, vulnerable populations, pets, animals, or insect populations at risk. Asa result, CPUC should utilize rigorous and independent health, safety and environmentalimpact studies that will base recommendations on the Precautionary Principle, without fail,for all current and future endeavors. This risk-assessment will be accomplished by creating astandard risk scale that will pay heed to and protect "early warning" scientists and makingthe indication of the risk level mandatory, commissioning several risk hypotheses andconsidering compatibility with real life conditions. This strategy will promote pluralist andcontradictory debates between all stakeholders prior to adopting new technologies so that

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future adoptions will not result in costly mistakes that will net higher energy costs for theState of California.

2. An immediate end to utility monopolies in each geographical area by the CPUC establishingcompeting utilities so that there is a choice for healthy and green alternatives that are notharmful to humans, wildlife, animals, or the environment, etc. per independent experts andscientists in the field with no conflicts of interest, authorized and approved by interestedCPUC applicants/parties who are smart grid objectors (''parties''), paid for by CPUC.

3. No utility company in California will be allowed to pollute the indoor or outdoorenvironments by increasing exposure to electromagnetic fields or any type of radiation (akacontributing to "electrosmog"). Natural background levels for electromagnetic fields andradiation shall be maintained at all times throughout the State, as determined by independentauthoritative sources and scientific evidence.

4. Appliance manufacturers shall be prohibited from using wireless technology in the State ofCalifornia that can communicate with any source inside the home or outside ofthe home inwhich the appliance is located.

5. No alternative to the smart meter that may be incompatible with older wiring or appliancesshall be utilized, including wired options. Analog meters shall be the only option for allconsumers, for public health and safety reasons.

6. If, at some time in the future, fiber optic or cable transmission options are considered, the fullimpact on health and safety shall be studied extensively by independent, impartialresearchers, paid for by CPUC and all results made public before any further planning takes

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place. In order to reduce costs, save energy, and protect the environment and human health,step up independent research on new types of antennas and wireless devices, and encourageresearch to develop devices based on other technologies which are just as efficient but haveless negative effects on the environment and health.

7. Independent citizen oversight panel approved by parties (or their designees) with no personalor other conflicts of interest, tasked with Precautionary Principle safety protections as itsprimary goal, and paid for by CPUC to oversee all of these areas.

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Documents

CEP Smart Meter Opt-Out Proposal for CPUC 7.28.11