An Open Letter to the Michigan House Energy Policy Committee

March 27, 2017  (Delivered today, March 28, 2017)

To:  The Members of the Michigan House Energy Policy Committee

Re:  HB 4220 - Analog Utility Meter Choice Legislation - an open letter

Honorable Members of the Energy Policy Committee,

As a member of this committee, your decisions not only affect your constituents, but every child, woman, and man in all of Michigan.

When it comes time to vote on HB 4220, please remember a few things:

• The fire chief who thankfully was home when his new smart meter arced and nearly caught his cabin on fire.¹
• The Detroit couple who's dogs were killed in a smart meter house fire.²
• The autistic children who, it is known, do better in an environment low in electromagnetic fields and low in dirty electricity.³
• The parents of autistic children, some of whom may not be able to afford "opt-out" fees to keep radiofrequency radiation emitting and dirty electricity creating electronic meters off their homes. 
• Newborn babies whose tiny skulls are much thinner than 200-pound men used for testing the penetration depth of radiofrequency radiation.⁴
• The perhaps hundreds of Michigan residents who have been testifying about ill effects experienced after smart or electronic meter installations.⁵
• The Michigan residents who have withstood two (or more) Michigan winters with no electricity due to power being cut by the utility companies because they refused a smart or electronic meter.  Some of these people had severe adverse physical reactions to smart and electronic meters, and removed or had them removed, to save their lives. 

When I was in my 30's, only a few people had cell phones.  Today, most everyone has a cell phone, even some toddlers.  Did you know that malignant brain tumors are now the top cause of cancer deaths in adolescents?⁶  That wasn't so when I was in my 30's.

Cell phones are a choice we don't have to pay extra to not have.  Some Michigan residents were already avoiding cell phones when smart or electronic meters were installed, or forced, onto their homes.  Many of these people were then thrown into full-blown electrosensitivity.

Did you know there are reliable disease bio-markers that characterize and identify electrosensitivity?⁷  This is a real condition, and some other countries are recognizing it and taking measures to reduce radiofrequency and wireless radiation in public places.⁸

Most people recover from electrosensitivity when electromagnetic fields in their environment are reduced or eliminated, though a growing number of people become hypersensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and become "EMF refugees", constantly seeking out "white zones" free of EMFs, in order to not experience debilitating symptoms.⁹

On the one side we have utility meters (analog) that have been in use for more years than you or I have been alive, with no issues of privacy, fire safety, cyber attacks, plus they don't emit radiofrequency radiation (a class 2B carcinogen)¹⁰, and they don't create dirty electricity.¹¹  Plus, they take a miniscule amount of energy to operate.

On the other side we have electronic utility meters that take more energy to operate (adding to peak demand), emit a class 2B carcinogen, create dirty electricity, collect and record granulated data about our personal habits, and are easily hacked by some.  Plus, smart meters have probably started more fires in their short history than all the fires started by analog meters in the last 100 years.

The precautionary principle states, "that the introduction of a new product or process whose ultimate effects are disputed or unknown should be resisted."

So-called smart and electronic metering falls within the precautionary principle description.

Please be a hero in the eyes of those who are aware of the issues around electronic metering and support  HB 4220, an analog choice without added fees.  You will not regret it.

Most Sincerely,

(Signed)  Jeanine Deal

Supporting material:

1.  Testimony at the February 21, 2017 EnergyPolicy Committee, Fire Chief Roddy

2.  Fox News: Smart Meter Blamed for Causing Fireand Killing Dogs

3.  Autism and EMF?  Plausibility of a pathophysiological link

Wireless and EMFReduction for Autism - Clear Light Ventures

The Emerging LinkBetween Wireless and Autism - Clear Light Ventures

4.  Exposure Limits: The underestimation of absorbed cell phone radiation, especially in children

WeeksMD: ElectricalPollution in the home

5.  Michigan Oversight Committee Hearing on SmartMeters December 2, 2014 Part 1

Michigan Oversight Committee Hearing on Smart Meters December 2, 2014 Part 2

6.  Brain tumors now the most frequent form of cancer in US adolescents: Ground-breaking American study

Malignant Brain TumorsTop Cause Of Cancer Deaths Among US Adolescents, Young Adults

The Effects ofElectromagnetic Field on the Endocrine System in Children and Adolescents

7.  Reliable disease biomarkers characterizingand identifying electrohypersensitivity

8.  Worldwide Countries Taking Action on Wireless

International PolicyActions on Wireless

9.  Sanctuaries | Refugium

EMF Refugee | ProtectYour Family from EMF Pollution

I Am an EMF Refugee //News // Notre Dame Magazine // University of Notre Dame

10.  IARC (International Agency for Research onCancer) Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as PossiblyCarcinogenic to Humans

11.  Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: biologicaleffects of dirty electricity with emphasis on diabetes and multiple sclerosis

Knowledge Is Useless Unless It's Used

I love how Richard Kimberley, in his blog post titled "What You MUST Know," compares becoming electro-sensitive with a glass slowly being filled with drops of water:

"Imagine a glass under a dripping tap.  You are the glass and the drips are microwave radiation. As the glass fills up throughout your life, there’s no cause for alarm, no damage is perceived as being done.  However, once that glass fills to the top, the trouble is about to start.  The final drip overflows the glass and now we have a mess.  You can move the glass away from the tap, but only a little of the contents will evaporate.  One or two more drips, and we’re overflowing again."

Most people don't feel microwave radiation.  That is, until they do.  When their glass overflows.

Cell phones were no problem for me.  Until they were.  After several months of cell phone use, I started to feel pain and a burning sensation in my "phone ear."  My glass was overflowing.  So I stopped putting the cell phone to my ear, and the pain went away.  My body began to heal, and perhaps some of the water in my glass began to evaporate.

Just a few months after new gas meters were installation, I felt the first symptom of my glass overflowing again.  I didn't know microwave radiation emitting utility meters had been installed.  New gas meters are not called "smart."  But, I found out later, they do pulse microwave radiation over 600 times per hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, non-stop.  That's the same frequency as cell phones, by the way.

And the gas company wont remove the new not-smart meters unless we want our natural gas turned-off.  Permanently.

New symptoms of my glass overflowing were occurring, beyond just my phone ear hurting.  I describe some of my experience here and here.  Within a short period of time, I went from radiantly healthy, to achy all over, extremely exhausted, and more.  I was rapidly declining.

Several months later, I identified the problem as being the not-smart gas meters, and began to remedy the microwave radiation problem.  

It's been ten months now since we first blocked the radiation emitting from the not-smart gas meters.  I've also been turning electric breakers off at night, to cut down on the dirty electricity.  Though many of my symptoms have lessened considerably, not all symptoms are gone, and I still don't have the energy I had before not-smart gas meters were installed.  Maybe I never will.  But it is what it is.

Biological effects from microwaves and radiofrequency radiation have been known about for many years, and have even been researched by NASA.  But our governments seem to be run by large corporations and powerful utility companies, and they seem to be calling many of the shots.  At the expense of human health and safety.

"While human health and safety continue to be dismissed by many, growing scientific evidence is showing a dark side to cell phone, WiFi, smart meter and point-to-point technologies." ~ Dr. Albert Manville, Adjunct Professor, Johns Hopkins University

Is this the world you want to leave to your children's children's children?  One that cares more about profit than human health and safety?

Knowledge is useless unless it's used.

Thank you for reading ~ May all beings be blessed!

Some information:

• Beyond the Van by Richard Kimberely
• If you live in Michigan
• Naval Medical Research Institute: Biological Effects of Microwave and Radio Frequency Radiation 
• NASA - Electromagnetic Field Interactions With The Human Body: Observed Effects and Theories

New AMR ERT Public Utility Meters: Not-So Smart

New AMR ERT public utility meters (natural gas meters) are not called "smart meters," yet they do pulse microwave radiofrequency radiation, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, non-stop, just like so-called electric and water (AMI) "smart meters."  AMR meters also create what's called "electrical pollution" or "dirty electricity" that has been linked to adverse health effects.  

When we asked the Regional Operation Manager of SEMCO Energy (our natural gas provider) why the new AMR meters pulsed over 600 times per hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, he did not know.

When we asked him where the pulses transmit to, he did not know.  

And when we asked how SEMCO was getting around the State and Federal laws that prohibit a radio transmitting devise to be installed on private property without the property owner's knowledge and consent, he didn't know that either, but said he would check with their legal department and get back with us.  That was several weeks ago, and we still haven't heard back from him.

New AMR ERT natural gas utility meters destroyed my health, beginning with pain in my cell phone ear that I had not felt in about two years.  My symptoms did not stop there.  I experienced a plethora of odd and debilitating symptoms, until we shielded the meters, wrapping them in lead, and began turning off electric breakers at night, so to sleep in an environment of reduced electrical pollution.  Slowly, I've been reclaiming my health.

In Michigan, we are trying to get legislation passed that will give every utility customer the choice to keep safe and time-tested analog utility meters, without having to pay extra.  If you live in Michigan, please contact your State Representative and ask for their support of House Bill 4916.  Thank you!

This video shows how aphids react to microwaves from 14 miles away:

For more information, please see:

• Disease and the Age of Electrification
• Electrosensitivity | Canadians for Safe Technology
• Dirty Electricity and Disease (Video)

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Update: Are The Dogs Affected Also?

Ashling (left), and Comet (right)

A few weeks ago I wondered if I was not the only one showing signs of electromagnetic hypersensitivity.  At first it was Ashling, and then Comet...

One evening as I was sitting and reading, Ashling, an Australian Shepherd, fell asleep near my feet, as she often does.  In the past I have witnessed her dreaming, as though she was running and barking, with soft movements of her feet and muffled little barks.  But it was different this time.  The movements of her legs and feet were more frantic and jerky, and the sounds she made seemed more frantic as well.  

Over the next few days, I witnessed this happening again, and it occurred to me that either she was being affected by the radiation pulsing from the AMR ERT (automatic read encoder receiver transmitter) gas meters that SEMCO Energy had installed, or she was being sympathetic to my symptoms of electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and reacting to me.

About a week later I started noticing that Comet, also an Aussie, had started developing "hot-spots" in his groin area that he would not stop chewing.  That was a first for him.  Comet had always been a pretty calm and laid-back Aussie, as far as Aussies go, but now he would not leave those hot-stops alone, and became quite agitated if I tried to look at them or even rub his belly, which was also highly unusual for him.  He loves to get his belly rubbed.  I did get a few peeks at the hot-spots, and he had chewed himself raw.

Just to make sure, I checked all the dogs for flees, and didn't find anything, not even flea "dirt."  There had been no change in diet either, so it appeared that something else was agitating Comet as well.  Maybe he was also being affected by the radiation pulsing AMR ERT meters.  Or maybe he was just being sympathetic to my symptoms of electromagnetic hypersensitivity also.  Either way, it was disturbing to see both of the dogs "normal" behavior change like this.

At the same time, I was also experiencing the worst insomnia of my life.  I would wake up about every two hours with my heart pounding.  It would take about an hour to get calmed down, then I would return to sleep, only to wake-up again about two hours later.  This "routine" was not to my liking, and  I knew something had to change.  What were my options?

• Rent a camping trailer and camp out in the woods somewhere
• Or pitch a tent in the woods
• Temporarily move in with someone who had not had a radiation pulsing smart meter or AMR ERT meter installed
• Remove the gas service (and the AMR ERT meter)
• Try additional ways to block the microwave radiation 

Attempting to further block the radiation would be the quickest, easiest and least disruptive, so we started with that, and looked into getting some lead sheeting, something used in hospitals and dentist offices to shield radiation.  Pricing it out, we found that not only is lead sheeting very expensive, but is very difficult to come by as well.  However, within a week or so of getting lead sheeting estimates, a friend told us he had some left-over from a renovation project he had done in a medical facility, and gave the left-over lead sheeting to us!

So we wrapped both AMR ERT radiation pulsing meters as best we could with the lead sheeting, and I slept better that first night than I had in the past thirty nights.  Within a week Comet stopped chewing his hot-spots, has been letting me rub his belly, and I can see that the hot-spots have totally healed.  Ashling's sleep seems to have pretty much returned to "normal" as well.  So whether they were being "sympathetic" to my experience, or were experiencing adverse effects from the new gas meters themselves, after the meters were wrapped in lead, they both seemed to get better.

Then I had about a week of pretty good sleep, however for the last two nights I've been unable to sleep again because of the feeling that my whole body is being electrocuted.  So I don't think the lead sheeting is blocking the microwave radiation 100%. 

On October 19, we filed a complaint with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC):

SEMCO's new AMR ERT meters pulse radio frequencies 10.67 times per minute, per Dave Williams, SEMCO Regional Operation Manager, confirming why increased symptoms of electromagnetic hypersensitivity are being reported by residents who are requesting the new meters be removed and replaced with 100% analog meters.  

Three different SEMCO employees/agents mislead us into believing their new meters only "wake-up" once a month.  Although through further investigation and confirmation by Dave Williams at SEMCO, that information was incorrect.  I would have never consented to the installation of two AMR ERT meters had I been told the truth of what they actually do.  I feel mislead and deceived by SEMCO.  And now they refuse to do anything about it. 

SEMCO does not have an "opt-out" program.  Is there anything we can do other than stopping SEMCO gas service and having the meters totally removed?

I've read that others have been down this road before with the MPSC, all to no avail.  So I am pretty sure we will be removing at least one of the new gas meters, and I am still talking to people about HB4916, the Analog Choice Bill here in Michigan.  When passed, everyone will be given the choice to have either a safe analog meter, or the new smart meter or AMR ERT meters.  Analog for me, please!

Being electromagnetically hypersensitive in a day of wireless-just-about-everything is indeed a challenge.  And I do encounter people who don't believe me.  Maybe it's kind of like the first people who were experiencing the symptoms of fibromyalgia: pain, fatigue, and tenderness... their symptoms were often not believed either.

There is plenty of evidence that smart meters, radiation pulsing meters, and other wireless devices DO cause harm.  Dr. George Carlo in the following video, did some of the first safety testing on cell phones:

And Daniel Hirsch, radiation expert and lecturer at UCSC, states here that taking whole-body and cumulative effects into account, smart meters emit 50 to 160 times the radiation of a cell phone.  So we really are dealing with a serious issue here, believe it or not.

I have faith that it's just a matter of time before electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and the potential dangers of wireless technology, are widely recognized, and we'll be saying something like...

"Of course!  What were we thinking!?"

For more information please see:

• http://www.bioinitiative.org/ 
• https://www.emfscientist.org/
• http://www.electronicsilentspring.com/historical-context/
• http://www.electronicsilentspring.com/primers/smart-meters/smart-meters-health/
• http://www.smartmetereducationnetwork.com/

Thank you for reading!  Blessings to You!

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