PG&E “Ralph” Investigation

This week the “Public Version” of the PG&E “Ralph” investigation was released. Some of the names of PG&E employees are redacted, but the majority of the investigation report is there. CPSD Staff Report – Redacted and Attachments to CPSD Staff Report – Redacted  The PG&E Corporate Security memo states,

“My investigation concluded that Devereaux had been dishonest and less than truthful during the entire investigative process.”

Devereaux, aka Ralph, was the head of the PG&E Smart Meter program and he was responsible for understanding and communicating technical RF specifications to PG&E lawyers.

When the Consumer Protection & Safety Division (CPSD) launched their initial investigation PG&E responded with 102 pdf’s of information. PG&E then redacted the pdf’s and gave them to the San Jose Mercury News and to the SF Chronicle. We obtained copies of the redacted pdfs which were the basis of the CPSD report. What’s not included in the CPSD report is whether or not the CPUC was involved, and to what extent they were involved. One email address, which was exposed in an open header was CPUC representative Mazia Zafar.

Screen shot open header of email between Zafar and Devereaux

The CPSD has scheduled a settlement conference for August 30. Will post more on this investigation as it unfolds. Meanwhile can anyone guess the names that are redacted in the “public version” of the CPSD staff report?

For more information on the PG&E investigation see: PG&E’s spying may cost them

O Accountability, Where Art Thou?

Several weeks ago PG&E called Sebastopol notifying the city they planned to deploy Smart Meters in the city within weeks. PG&E wanted to speak to the council members, and refused to put anything in writing. Sebastopol’s response to PG&E was to adopt a resolution to: “Delay all Smart Meter installations and deployment in the city of Sebastopol until the CPUC has formally concluded phase 2 Smart Meter opt-out proceedings.”

PG&E’s response?  “we believe such a blanket delay would disadvantage most of our customers in Sebastopol and cannot agree to your proposal.”

 Today EMF Safety Network filed a Motion with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in the Smart Meter Opt-Out proceeding to request judicial notice and defer Smart Meter installation in the City of  Sebastopol (Motion).

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Here’s a readers response to PG&E:

“PG&E has refused to abide by the Sebastopol City Council’s request for a delay on SmartMeter installation until the Public Utilities Commission has reached a conclusion. Their rationale, according to PG&E spokesman Greg Snapper, is that, “We believe that individual choice rather than community opt-out strikes a good balance.” PG&E thus gives itself permission to act while a legally appointed agency’s ruling is pending.

Following this example, my neighbor can remodel his home before he has a permit. A hotel can be built in a residential community while a zoning hearing is happening. A factory discharging chemicals into the Russian River can be constructed while an environmental impact report is still pending. Eminent domain over demolition of homes for a highway can happen while the planning commission is in the process of meeting.

Think about it, folks. Everybody has permission, just like PG&E, to do whatever they please, whenever they please, however they please, and to hell with the rest of the community, town, city, state, nation and the world. It’s bad enough as it is. Do we have to make it worse?”

—MARYLOU SHIRA HADDITT
Sebastopol

Melted Smart Meter

A melted Smart Meter. From the Vancouver Sun, from a report by the Office of the Fire Marshal Fire Investigation Services in Ontario.

The Vancouver Sun reported ‘Unusual’ number of fires, smart meters linked, which is one of a succession of news reports on Smart Meter fires in Canada.

“Smart meter installations are the suspected cause of an “unusual” number of fires similar to a recent electrical fire at a home in Mission, according to a recent investigation by the Ontario fire marshal’s office.”

EMF Safety Network has been tracking Smart Meter related fires since 2010 when a Bakersfield business found a Smart Meter exploded…”Basically it was an explosion. I saw the meter on the ground and the face plate was blew off and the whole meter was blackened…”

Smart Meter related fires have been reported in the US, Canada and Australia.

Prenatal EMF Exposures Can Lead to Childhood Obesity

Posted by Dr. Louis Slesin:

De-Kun Li, an epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, has a new paper out showing that EMF exposures in the womb are linked to an increased risk of childhood obesity.

“Maternal exposure to high [magnetic fields] during pregnancy may be a new and previously unknown factor contributing to the world-wide epidemic of childhood obesity/overweight,” Li writes in a paper posted today by Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed, open access journal owned by the group that publishes Nature.

Read the full story at: http://microwavenews.com/news-center/emf-exposures-womb-can-lead-childhood-obesity

Dr. Magda Havas: “Cherry Picking and Black Swans”

Dr. Magda Havas presents this short video to illustrate the difference between “cherry picking” science and falsification or finding the “black swan”. She writes, “Some scientists are criticized for cherry picking their studies when in fact they are falsifying a hypothesis. Falsification, a concept coined by Sir Karl Popper (philosopher of science), is one of the methods that differentiates science from other forms of acquiring knowledge.”

We are suing the CPUC!

Cartoon by Jim Heddle EON

On June 7th, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) denied the EMF Safety Network Rehearing Request on the grounds that, “the evidence does not support re-opening a review of Smart Meters.” Because the Rehearing Request is denied we can now sue the CPUC for failing to address serious Smart Meter issues, including health and safety impacts, and FCC compliance.

The CPUC has buried it’s head in the sand!

The CPUC rubber stamped PG&E claims of Smart Meter safety!

Although no new evidence can be added to the lawsuit in Appeals court, this lawsuit is important because it could force the CPUC to address the issues it has been ignoring.

The CPUC has NEVER addressed the health and safety impacts of Smart Meters.  They’ve only provided an opt out with a penalty!

We need to raise $25,000 for legal costs ASAP!  Attorneys James Hobson and Joshua Nelson of Best, Best and Krieger will represent us in the California First Court of Appeals. The lawsuit will be filed by the July 11 deadline.

If every customer on PG&E’s delay list would donate 15 cents, we’d have it covered! Considering we probably won’t reach those 177,000 people, if people donate $10-$100 this will help! Please give whatever amount you can!

The results of suing the CPUC, if we win, will be that the Court will mandate the CPUC to address our original EMF Safety Network Application which includes:

  • Re-opening both of the Smart Meter proceedings (D.06-07-027 and D.09-03-026)
  • Evidentiary hearings on radiation health, environmental, and safety impacts
  • Review of actual Smart Meter program performance
  • An independently prepared RF Emissions Study

Your contributions will enable us to step up and challenge the CPUC!!

Thanks to all of you who’ve already given to this cause. Legal costs are ongoing, as we are still participating in the CPUC opt-out proceeding, so any amount you can contribute is a HUGE help!

We believe that whatever the CPUC rules for PG&E, they will eventually apply to other utilities! So, please support our efforts, even if you are a customer of another California utility!

Inching towards justice!  THANKS TO ALL YOUR EFFORTS!