Happy New Year for Smart Meters!
Jan 21, 2024 11:06 pm
Dear Safe Tech Friends,
There is some good news in this new year! Finally, a truly great 'smart meter' opt out bill for New York State!
There have been efforts since 2013 to pass a bill that prevents the forcible installations of digital “smart” utility meters, and removes penalties for those who want to hang onto their trusted analog meters. You can see Les Jamieson’s article in WestView News for a great history of all the shenanigans. Digital meters use pulsed RF radiation to operate and transmit consumer usage information wirelessly, which exposes residents to chronic, unnecessary radiation that has caused physical harm to many who have had them installed. Non-transmitting digital meters also pose problems, due to the dirty electricity created. Then there are the privacy, safety, cybersecurity issues, and of course the non-transparent increases in billing. You can check here for an overview.
Thanks to the work of amazing advocates, and the enlightened Senator Harckham, his consumer protection and utility meter choice bill is back in action, early in session, new and improved, with Senator Comrie as a co-sponsor. It is the best smart meter bill that we have had so far! Here’s what it says:
- You can keep your electric, gas, or water analog meter with no fee, penalty or service charge.
- You can get one re-instated, within 10 days if you provide written notice that you are electrically sensitive. Or within a month otherwise.
- There must be 50% approval within an apartment building in order for them to install any digital or smart meter at that location. (A great first step in dealing with multi-unit buildings.)
For more information go to Americans for Responsible Technology for their excellent overview of the bill and why it’s needed.
The bill is now in the Senate Consumer Protection Committee:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S5632/amendment/A
We are told that the best thing we can do at this moment is to contact members of that committee in order to encourage their support and encourage them to activate Chair Kevin Thomas to bring the bill up for a vote. This is especially important if you are one of these legislators’ constituents.
Here are their phone #s.
Sen. Samra Brouk -518-455-2215 Albany, 585-223-1800 (Rochester)
Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick - 518-455-2400; 516-766-8383 (Valley Stream, LI)
Sen Kristen Gonzalez - 518-455-3230; 718-765-6674 (NYC)
Sen. Brian Kavanagh - 518-455-2625; 212-4317836 (NYC)
Sen. Zellnor Myrie - 518-455-2410; 718-284-4700 (Brooklyn)
Sen. Bill Weber - 518-455-2991; 845-623-3627 (Rockland)
It would be great to contact these representatives early and often with a simple message:
"Bill S5632A on Utility Meter Choice is important to me and the whole community. I hope that the Senator will support the bill and encourage the Committee Chair Senator Kevin Thomas to bring it up for a vote!"
For a more elaborate script for all representatives, feel free to use:
"I'm calling to urge (legislator's name) to support Senate Bill S5632A. This bill provides for utility meter choice, which is a consumer protection that residents and businesses in NY state require. We will get to say no to digital smart meters and keep our safe, reliable analog meter. Smart meters are a health hazard, and have many safety issues. After more than a decade of attempts, this bill is the best to date. I also urge (legislator's name) to co-sponsor the bill. Thank you for your attention to this matter.” Let the staff person know if you're in their district. If they ask and you're not in their district, reply with "No, I'm not in your district, but this issue is pertinent to every NY resident, which is why I'm compelled to call."
If your contact would like more information, ART’s overview is a great one to share.
Please do pass this on, and keep an eye out as we share more news and action ideas to get this bill ahead. It is a blessing to have it introduced so early in the session so we need to make the most of it. And please do let us know if you get any feedback.
Many of you have already been in this fight and have gotten us to where we are. Thank you for all you have been doing. Let us all join in to make this the year that finally we get a meaningful Smart Meter opt out bill into law!
Happy New Year to everyone!
And with many thanks,
New Yorkers 4 Wired Tech
