Agreeing to Disagree

My general public comment to the City of Battle Creek City Commissioners on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, went as follows:

I met a retired police officer, now a security guard at our State Capitol in Lansing, who advised me that Chief Blocker (the Battle Creek Chief of Police) could help keep unsafe smart meters (AMI and AMR ERT meters) off our homes.  I hope that is true!

Battle Creek seems to be having a hard time calling new public utility meters "smart meters," as evidenced by this March story:  Water Division on schedule with new device installation.  Nowhere in the article is the word "smart" used.

This chart (above) shows that smart meters and cell phones operate in the same range, 900MHz to 2.4GHz.

Perry Hart, Director of Public Works here is Battle Creek has confirmed that the smart meters they are installing for water service operate within this frequency as well.  (See page 9 here.)  He also explained how the new water meters pulse 257 times per hour, non-stop.  (Mr. Hart's presentation explained how the new water meters pulse every 14 seconds, which translates to 257 times per hour.)

Unlike cell phones, which can be turned off, smart meters are never "off,' which is why radiation expert Daniel Hirsch says one smart meter may be like being exposed to 50 or more cell phones.

We haven't heard it from the Battle Creek Enquirer, yet, but there's been lots of news stories about a new study that links cell phone use to cancer:

Scientific American:  Major cell phone radiation study reignites cancer questions
Physics Today:  Wall Street Journal trumpets "explosive finding" on cell phones and cancer
TIME:  Cell phone-cancer link seen in rat study
WNCN in Raleigh, NC:  Doctor says cell phone use linked to cancer in rats
Oxford University Press:  US government's premiere test program finds cancer risk from cell phone radiation: a game-changing global wake-up call

Children are more vulnerable to cell phone and smart meter radiation because their skulls are thinner and smaller, allowing the radiation to penetrate deeper into tissues.

Both Commissioner Sherzer and Commissioner Gray have said to me that we need to agree to disagree on this issue.

When I agree to disagree with you, my decision basically only affects me.

When you (the City Commissioners of Battle Creek) agree to disagree with me, your decision affects every man, woman, and child in Battle Creek.

House Bill 4916 (the Utility Meter Choice Bill in Michigan) has fourteen co-sponsors in Lansing, both Democrats and Republicans.  Please support this potentially live-saving legislation.

Requesting A Resolution

Image from EMR Aware Newsletter

April 19, 2016, to the City of Battle Creek City Commission I said:

I'm here to ask you to pass a Resolution, as most recently Marysville, Michigan did, and now Columbiaville, Michigan has.   A Resolution modeling Michigan House Bill 4916, the Utility Meter Choice Bill, that allows all public utility customers to opt-out of wireless metering technology, commonly known as smart metering, though wireless gas meters are neither "smart," nor called "smart."  Wireless gas meters are called AMR meters, and like other wireless public utility meters, they pulse radio frequency radiation in the microwave range 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, non-stop. 

On April 11th, just over one week ago, the village of Columbiaville, Michigan, northeast of Lansing, joined the growing list of Michigan communities to pass Resolutions supporting their citizens in their desire to have a free choice in regards to wireless public utility metering. 

Citing privacy concerns, Columbiaville's Resolution states:"Smart meters are overly intrusive into their energy usage." 

Citing health concerns, Columbiaville's Resolution states:"...emissions from smart meters are actually dangerous to their health." 

Columbiaville has forwarded House Bill 4916, the Utility Meter Choice Bill, to the Michigan Committee on Energy Policy, and has called upon State Representative and Chairman Aric Nesbitt, the Michigan Public service Commission, Attorney General Bill Schuette, State Senator Mike Green, and State Representative Gary Howell to take all regulatory procedures needed to investigate their concerns about health and welfare. 

Gas, electric, and water wireless smart meters come with a history of problems, from chronically overcharging customers, starting fires, being an open-door at our homes for hackers, and destroying people's health. 

Columbiaville, Michigan, now supports their citizen's ability to keep their old, safe, and time-tested analog utility meters, and to opt-out of the new wireless smart metering programs without suffering financial penalties or monthly charges. 

Please join Columbiaville, Marysville, and the growing list of Michigan communities concerned about these real issues with smart meters. Please pass a Resolution modeling House Bill 4916, for a no-fee analog utility meter choice.

Thank you for listening.  May you all truly be blessed!