September 3, 2022
Sebastopol City Council
P.O. Box 1776
Sebastopol, CA 95473
Re: Proposed PG&E Conversion to Smart Meters at Fircrest Mobile Home Park Dear City Council:
Mighyresidents of Fircrest Senior Mobile Home Park are, once again, requesting the intervention of the City of Sebastopol to stop PG&E's planned conversion of our current analog meters to smart meters. PG&E switched our Park from submeters to direct meters in 2019. At that time, we collected 87 signatures from Park residents opposed to the installation of smart meters. This sentiment has not changed. In light of the City of Sebastopol's General Plan Goal CHW 4 to "Minimize Community Exposure to Unsafe Electromagnetic Fields," we believe that the City has a duty to intervene in this matter.
PG&E sent a letter on August 23, less than two weeks ago, informing Sebastopol residents that the smart meter changeover is planned from late September to early October. In this letter, residents were notified that they can "opt out" from smart meters by paying an initial fee and then an additional fee monthly for 36 months. The total cost of opting out comes to $435 (or $190 for customers on the CARE Program). We believe that charging residents to avoid something they do not want and that very probably will have an adverse impact on their health in the long term, is unconscionable and akin to extortion. In other words, an opt-out is an agreement to pay not to be harmed.
Following are some of the reasons why we, here at Fircrest Mobile Home Park, are requesting the Sebastopol City Council to intervene in whatever way possible to prevent the smart meter conversion of our high-density senior mobile home park:
• Cost of opting out can be prohibitive for many retirees on a fixed income. • Even if individual homeowners decide to opt-out, they can still be affected by the EMFs being emitted from their neighbors' smart meters. (Some of our homes are separated by only five feet!) • Smart meters emit pulsed EMF radiation. Peer-reviewed studies have shown the following health impacts from even short exposure to this type of radiation: Sleep Problems, Headaches, Nausea, Anxiety, Heart Palpitations, Tinnitus, Dizziness, Fatigue, Balance Problems, Leg Cramps, Problems with Memory and Concentration, Immune and Nervous System Problems, and more.
• Concerns that there have been few, if any, peer-reviewed studies about the health effects of long-term exposure to EMFs such as those emitted by smart meters. • Because this is a senior community, many of our residents are elderly, already experiencing health problems, and want to avoid exposure to anything that can cause additional harm. • Privacy Concerns
• Concerns that smart meters can be "hacked".
• Reports of fires caused by smart meters.
We are writing this letter in hopes that our wonderful, environmentally conscious, and caring Sebastopol City Council will intervene on our behalf to persuade PG&E to opt out oyr enfire community from conversion to smart meters without charging any fees.
Sincerely,
Pamela Gentry Richard Diehl, PhD Vimlan VanDien Marilyn Madrone Raina Woolfolk Christina Hince Kathy Anderson Concerned Residents of Fircrest Senior Mobile Home Park