HERE IS WHY:

1. BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER $$$ WASTED ON RISKY TECHNOLOGY
At a time when it is essential to cut the Federal deficit, President Obama is gambling billions of taxpayer dollars on the theory that massive spending on risky wireless broadband technology will be worthwhile. The President proposes to spend at least $25 billion on his "Wireless Initiative" to deploy wireless signals throughout 98% of the U.S., and billions of dollars are being spent now on Smart Meters that are not bringing the benefits touted. Also see here.

2. INFERIOR WIRELESS BROADBAND PERFORMANCE COMPARED TO FIBEROPTIC

On February 17, 2011, just after President Obama announced his "Wireless Initiative," Bloomberg Businessweek reported on "The Flaw in Obama's Wireless Plan."

The President hopes an increase in Internet access will result in more economic development. Fiber networks would do that better than mobile broadband . . . The bottom line: To harness broadband Internet for job creation and economic growth, Obama should stress fiber networks over wireless broadband.

3. PERSONAL FREEDOM THREATS

This is federal coercion on a grand scale. President Obama is pushing to expose most U.S. citizens to constant radiofrequency/lectromagnetic radiation (RF/EMR) everywhere. Wireless broadband sends RF/EMR throughout an area rather than directly through a shielded wire or cable to the electronic device being used. Constantly exposing everyone inside and outside of their homes and workplaces in over 98% of the U.S. to unprecedented levels and frequencies of RF/EMR with wireless signals is a dangerous, unsanctioned, mass experiment done without consent that must not occur. This initiative risks our finances, our health, privacy, cyber security, the ability of people with medical device implants to function and more.

4. HEALTH RISKS
If this radiation were a drug, increasing the dose and type would not be allowed without thorough evaluation of safety because like drugs, it can cause changes in the biology of the body. This radiation promotes degenerative diseases and premature aging even at levels of RF/EMR below FCC limits. Numerous other risks to human health from radiofrequency/microwave (RF/MW) radiation exposure, particularly to children and persons with disabilities, at levels below the current FCC limits are summarized in the review articles published in the March 2009 issue of Pathophysiology that are based on The BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) (The BioInitiative Report)

Many people who have developed a hypersensitivity to this form of radiation and struggle to shield themselves from increasing levels of this energy throughout the United States wonder where they can go to escape from the widespread wireless radiation of this proposal. See affidavits fromthe EMR Policy Institute here.


Smart meters send and receive wireless RF/MW signals throughout homes and businesses. These smart meter RF/MW levels are far higher than those already reported to cause health risks. Compliance is not safety, since the existing FCC safety limits are under challenge, and have already been called 'insufficient to protect public health' by some federal agencies. See here.

5. MEDICAL DEVICE MALFUNCTION RISK FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE

Wireless broadband RF/MW radiation can cause medical devices to malfunction. Medical implants such as those to control the shaking of Parkinson's disease are turned off by the electromagnetic interference(EMI) caused by the signal. Spurious RF signals are already reported in published studies to interfere with critical care equipment, ventilators, pain pumps, wireless insulin pumps and other medical devices. See reports here, here and here.
There can also be EMI with other electronic devices (home office printers, FAX, scanners, computers, television and cable settings, security systems, etc). Appliances and devices that are electrically connected in the home (plugged into home electrical wiring) may experience RF bursts of high enough intensity to cause malfunction and/or damage. These events are reported where smart meters have been installed.

6. SAFETY RISKS

Components of Smart Meters are out of compliance with the National Electric Code (NEC) because they trip Ground Fault Interrupters and Arc Fault Interrupters, creating a fire hazard. To date few wireless Smart Meters are Underwriters' Laboratory certified. There are reports in Bakersfield CA and from some Alabama communities that the installation of smart meters may have caused fires (15 reported in Bakersfield, one explosion of a smart meter). There is theoretical reason to believe that, in some cases, wireless smart meter signals may overload electrical wires and cause or contribute to circumstances resulting in house electrical fires. Unintentional re-radiation of RF/MW signal (with its higher energy) on electrical wires may overload wires, particularly in poorly grounded or ungrounded homes, or homes with older wiring or faulty wiring. There are reported events that such fires have ha ppened at or around the time smart meters have been installed. This matter needs urgent attention, and independent investigations by all State Fire Marshals are needed.

7. PRIVACY RISKS

The use of wireless networks to transmit information and data leaves open the potential for misuse of personal data, billing and usage information, and other private information. Privacy breaches have already been documented (illegal access of 179,000 accounts at Hydro Toronto, for example). It also may increase burglary risk, since home electrical usage is made electronically visible. When unoccupied, the home uses less electricity. It's like advertising to criminals with wireless detection equipment that you are not home. Sending data and information by fiberoptic rather than wireless signals would prevent this risk, i.e. no electronic eavesdropping.

8. CYBERSECURITY RISKS

Wireless communications are far less secure than wired communications.

Concerns about the security of the US electrical grid have received widespread media coverage (Wall Street Journal April 27, 2009). Smart meters present a new vulnerability to intentional sabotage as well as to inadvertent access to private information, since the network is wireless and it adds direct linkage to home computers and personal data.

The wireless network proposed to enable smart grid and smart meter technology is a full-saturation, full-coverage blanket of RF/MW radiation into every home and business that can increase the points of entry to malicious software (malware), to electrical service disruption or disconnection, and to terrorist attack on the electrical and communications grid throughout the US (Wired.com, March 4, 2010).

CNN launched a "Cyber Shockwave" program on February 20, 2011, that detailed national concerns over the security of the internet and of wireless communications, which makes us vulnerable to loss of the electrical grid, internet and wireless communications across the country. Banking, transportation and the electrical grid had the biggest vulnerabilities.

9. NO ENERGY SAVINGS

Connecticut's Attorney General George Jepsen studied that state's Smart Meter pilot program and concluded that there was no energy savings.

"The pilot results showed no beneficial impact on total energy usage," Jepsen said. "And, the savings that were seen in the pilot were limited to certain types of customers and would be far outweighed by the cost of installing the new meter systems," he said. "Also, the existing meters, installed between 1994 and 2005, have a useful life of 20 years and replacing them early would incur additional costs for customers," Jepsen said.

10. INCREASED CHARGES TO RATE PAYERS

There are widespread reports of excessive charges, due to malfunctioning smart meters. In Bakersfield, CA, where PG&E started installing the first smart meters, more than 100 people attended a meeting held by State Sen. Florez to complain about absurd electric bills. Those with new smart meters had bills 200-400% higher, with no increase in power use as compared to the same months of the previous year. The meters are thought to malfunction because of spurious RF signals (electronic glitches). A class action lawsuit has already been filed in Bakersfield, CA because of numerous consumer complaints.

If you wish to make representations to the president you can do so at www.whitehouse.gov/contact; if you wish to contact a more local representative you can find all elected officals here.

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First Publihed in June 2011

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