FCC’s Inadequate Response to Smart Meter Complaint

On November 4, 2010, I filed a complaint with the FCC, and yesterday received the following response.

You are receiving this email in response to your inquiry to the FCC.

Dear Ms. Maurer,

Thank you for contacting the Federal Communications Commission.

This letter is in response to your complaint, 10-C00258888, filed with the FCC.

PG&E’s SmartMeter program is part of a statewide effort driven by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to upgrade California’s energy infrastructure with automated metering technology. This technology will enable new programs that help California energy customers use less energy and save money.

The SmartMeter system uses programmable solid-state meter technology that provides two-way communication between the meter at your home or business and the utility, using secure wireless network technology records hourly meter reads and periodically transmits the reads via a dedicated radio frequency (RF) network back to PG&E.

Please reference PG&E’s web site concerning questions about potential health effects related to radio frequency (RF) emissions from the meters,http://www.pge.com/myhome/edusafety/systemworks/rf/.

The California Council on Science and Technology released a preliminary study entitled “Health Impacts of Radio Frequency from Smart Meters”. You may view this study at: http://www.ccst.us/publications/2011/2011smartA.pdf.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) limits for radio transmitters of all types, including SmartMeters. The FCC standard provides a currently accepted factor of safety against known thermally induced health impacts of smart meters and other electronic devices in the same range of RF emissions. Exposure levels from smart meters are well below the thresholds for such effects.

There is no evidence that additional standards are needed to protect the public from smart meters.

For questions concerning this study, you may wish to contact the California Council on Science and Technology, 1130 K Street, Suite 280, Sacramento, California 95814. Phone: (916) 492 0996. E-mail: ccst@ccst.us

Thank you for your inquiry.

Brenda Althoff

Consumer Advocate and Mediation Specialist

Federal Communications Commission

Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau

Representative Number : TSR22

Complaint Sent:

“PG&E is deploying radio frequency radiation (RF) smart

meters throughout its service territory in California. PG&E

claims there are no health impacts and states they are safe

because they comply with FCC Safety Standards. PG&E has

not provided realistic RF specifications like the peak RF power

at one foot. We need accurate RF emissions information for

their Smart Meters.

“People are reporting health impacts from RF smart meters,

including sleep problems, headaches, anxiety, tinnitus, ear pain

and more. There are people who are EHS and immune

compromised and this is a huge threat to their homes and

health. See stories here:

http://emfsafetynetwork.org/?page_id=2292

“Since the FCC is the jurisdictional body that regulates RF

emissions we call on you to impose an immediate moratorium

on PG&E Smart Meters.”

5 thoughts on “FCC’s Inadequate Response to Smart Meter Complaint”

  1. I have developed electromagnetic sensitivity. I am sick and unable tolive in my own home. I have been told that I don’t have a smart meter per say but ARM. It pulses every 28 seconds. My life has been destroyed. I can’t stay in my home. My three young sons complain of head aches and not feeling well. I cannot go anywhere but in my father in laws house. He doesn’t havemeters yet but they are coming. Where in Gods name will I go once the meters come here? Please anyone wit hinf contact me at nosmartmeter4indiana@yahoo.com.

  2. I am crying as I respond to your pain. I too am suffering from ringing in my ears, caused by The Smart Meters. I now have insomnia, and I wake up with my ears piercing from the sound, and they are so sore.
    The Arizona Corporation Commission, and our Mayor have been helpful. APS is supposed to be removing 88 Smart Meters from the Apartment, I live in, tomorrow.
    I hope that you are able to get these Torture Devices removed, too.
    My ears hurt so much, that tonight, I went to Walmart, and bought those ear protectors, that they use at gun ranges. We’ll see If they can block out the buzzing, which never ceases, and leaves you nowhere to go. My prayers are with all those who are suffering. Electro Sensitivity, is not a good thing. Most people go about their lives, and they don’t even notice. For us, it is a Science Fiction Nightmare, come true.

  3. will someone please help me.i am desperate.my income is 674$a month so i dont have $to buy a bunch of crap to protect me.there are 150 apartments here.i told the management,i told pge,nobody cares.i feel like im going to have a heartattack all day every day.i am crying as i write this.im in oregon,disabled,no car,and have barely been out of my apartment in a year because these meters are not letting me sleep.if i could walk to the mountains from here i would.i feel like im dying.HOW ARE THESE LEGAL?ALL FROGS HERE ARE GONE,THE BATS AND BEES TOO.my cat wont come in the house.im scared to death.WHAT OFFICIAL DO I NEED TO BE CALLING.its worse on weekends,i dont know why.please,im desprate

  4. I have been experiencing ringing in my ears at home for the last 5-6 days. I read an article last night about these smart meters causing tinnitus and I realized the ringing began the same time the meter was installed. I did a test today and while I was gone from my home for a few hours I did not have the ringing, yet after I was home for 1 hour my ears began to ring. How do we protect ourselves from this? No one asked if we wanted it, and If I can no longer deal with this problems where am I supposed to go if they are being erected all over the state of Ca? Maybe one by itself is not a problem, but think of how many neighbors you have all around you. That amount of EMF’s have got to become problematic.

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