LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to explore a temporary moratorium on SmartMeter installations or a court injunction in order to give legislation that seeks alternatives to the meters a chance to get through the state Legislature.
When it convened Tuesday morning, the Board of Supervisors was set to discuss a draft letter to the state Legislature in support of AB 37, introduced by Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael).
The decision to draft the letter came out of a January discussion in which the board heard community concerns about Pacific Gas & Electric's new SmartMeters.
Huffman's legislation would require the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to identify alternative metering options for utility customers who don't want the SmartMeters installed at their homes.
But the legislation's deadline for the CPUC is Jan. 1, 2012. That time line, and the fact that installations are moving forward, raised issues for the board.
Pacific Gas & Electric had announced last month that they were beginning to roll out SmartMeter installations in Lake County, replacing the older analog meters.
“We have approximately 40,000 electric meters in Lake County that will be upgraded,” PG&E spokesperson Brandi Ehlers told Lake County News.
On Tuesday, Ehlers said approximately 1,600 SmartMeters have been installed in Lake County so far.
Ehlers said the installations are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Before the discussion started at Tuesday's board meeting, Supervisor Denise Rushing recused herself and left the meeting, saying she and a group of engineers were notified that they may be on a short list for contracting with PG&E, which created a potential conflict.
Supervisor Rob Brown pointed out that while the letter was the only thing on the agenda, he wanted to take another approach.
“I've thought about this a lot,” he said.
While he said he didn't want “to be accused of wearing a tin foil hat,” the issue for him came down to choice.
It's been reported that cell phones and microwaves give off more electromagnetic fields than SmartMeters. However, Brown pointed out, “Those things are optional. No one's forced to have a cell phone, no one's forced to have a microwave.”
SmartMeters, however, aren't currently optional, he said, suggesting the board seek a temporary moratorium on SmartMeter installations until the passage of the bill, which would then put other options into play.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington said he wanted to see additional language incorporated into the letter regarding privacy issues, and also wanted to convey the concern that the cumulative impacts of the meters on peoples' health haven't been studied.
Farrington said it had been his understanding that a board-imposed moratorium would have “no teeth.” As a result, he asked County Counsel Anita Grant for a legal opinion on petitioning the courts for an injunction against PG&E or going through the CPUC. He got the opinion from Grant on Monday.
“I don't think the PUC will be responsive,” said Farrington, pointing to the influence of special interests.
Farrington said he believed the SmartMeters would hurt businesses by charging more money for electricity. “It has no benefit to consumers.”
Brown said that they should put off discussing the letter. Grant said they could expand the agenda item for the future discussion to include consideration of a moratorium, potential legal action and the letter, which is what the board eventually decided to do, with Board Chair Jim Comstock directing that all three items be agendized for 11 a.m. March 8.
Community member Lori Patotzka, noting her full support for AB 37, told the board she appreciated their statements.
She attended a Feb. 22 PG&E “education center” on the SmartMeters in Clearlake, and said she didn't like the attitude of the PG&E representative, who told her she didn't have a choice when it came to having one of the meters.
“They appear to be big brother with a really big hammer,” said Comstock.
Other officials, community members remain skeptical
Clearlake Vice Mayor Joey Luiz said Tuesday he's closely watching how the supervisors handle the SmartMeters issue. He said he plans to urge the council to move in the same direction.
Over the last few weeks Luiz said he has received an estimated 100 e-mails just about SmartMeters – more contact than he's had from constituents on any other issue so far.
Luiz, along with Mayor Joyce Overton and Council member Jeri Spittler, sat in on the PG&E education center Feb. 22. The council agendized it as a meeting to allow the three council members to take part together.
While he said he understands that the technology is supposed to upgrade the system, “at the same time I just don't see a benefit for the consumer.”
He's especially concerned about the impact on seniors who have no choice but to use power.
Sarah Ryan, environmental director for the Big Valley Rancheria, said the tribe is considering a ban on the devices and won't currently let them be placed.
Their research has raised issues relating to accuracy, deficiencies with the meters, privacy, safety standards and the impacts of chronic, long-term exposure to magnetic fields.
Lake County News readers shared some of their concerns about the technology on the publication's Facebook page Tuesday.
While some said they weren't concerned about the signals the meters give off, others pointed to problems with meters malfunctioning and overall health concerns.
Information wasn't immediately available Tuesday from PG&E on how many customers have attempted to prevent installation of the meters at their homes and businesses.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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