Activism Archive

Ed and Kathleen to speak in Winslow on “smart” meters

“Smart” Meters: Friend or Foe? With guest speakers Ed Friedman and Kathleen McGee of the Maine Coalition to Stop Smart Meters Thursday, 8 May 2014 5:30–7:30 p.m. Winslow Public Library 136 Halifax St., Winslow, Maine Technology is advancing, but is it heading in a healthy direction? Devices such as radios, TVs, computers, cell phones, WiFi, “smart”

Maine complainants take exception to MPUC Examiners’ Report

Linked comments were submitted 11 April 2014 in opposition to the MPUC Examiners’ Report on “smart” meter safety (read about that report here). Technically, comments should be based on the case record and (in also laying grounds for appeal) should point out and discuss, for the most part, errors of law and fact. A few

MPUC issues examiner’s report

The MPUC has issued its Examiner’s Report (see also the appendix). The MPUC’s comment period remains open until 11 April. Kit Weaver of SkyVision Solutions has posted a very fine analysis of the report (read it here). Our own Dianne Wilkins has this to say about the report: The PUC refused to even look at over

Join us in resisting “smart-meter” harm and extortion

Our precedent-setting Maine investigation into the safety of smart meters continues with the recent filing of final legal briefs at the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). What remains is a final report from MPUC staff to the Commissioners, the Commissioner’s decision, and possibly a separate proceeding on remedy. Win or lose, appeals are likely. We

Reply briefs submitted 24 January to the MPUC

Reply Briefs were submitted 24 January 2014 in the Maine PUC (NOT)smart-meter investigation into the health and safety of these mandated meters. Posted here are briefs from the complainants (Complainant Reply Brief 1-24-14-part1 and Complainant Reply Brief 1-24-14-part2) and from intervener Dianne Wilkins (Wilkins Reply Brief 1-24-14). Reply briefs were also submitted by CMP and

Summarizing legal briefs submitted

On Friday, 13 December 2013, written legal briefs were submitted in the Maine PUC investigation of CMP’s deployment of not-so-smart meters in the state of Maine. The briefs summarize arguments from the various parties: attorney Bruce McGlauflin, representing the complainants (Bruce brief –80pp); Central Maine Power, the opposing party (CMP brief –80pp); interveners Dianne Wilkins

“Take Back Your Power” to premiere 9 October in Brunswick

Subject:          Take Back Your Power, Maine Film Premiere Director:        Josh del Sol, Director & Producer When:             Wednesday, October 9, 7:00 p.m. Where:           Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick  Join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) on Wednesday, October 9 at 7 p.m. for the 1st presentation of their 17th annual Winter Speaker Series. This program features the Maine

State Legislature Issues Report Card on MPUC

The State of Maine Legislature’s Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability (OPEGA) has filed its report on the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC). You will not be surprised to see that more than 25 percent of all the 10-person complaints filed to the MPUC in the past 5 years concerned “smart” meters (table 1,

URGENT: Submit Your Testimony to the MPUC by 4 p.m., 21 August

From Ed on 11 August 2013:  I’m out of the hospital and back to Kathleen’s for phase 2 of my recovery. I won’t be too involved for a while yet. A few days ago Maine PUC had a public hearing in our safety investigation (with one week’s notice). Turnout was awful, with about 30 people

URGENT: Testify Wednesday in Augusta

URGENT: Testify on 7 August 2013 in Augusta Your CMP “Smart” Meter May Be Harming You! • Adverse Health Impacts • Privacy Issues • Fire and Safety Risks • Inaccurate Billing • CMP replaced safe analog meters with digital wireless “smart” meters without full disclosure or acceptable opt-out choice to customers. Many CMP customers are experiencing problems

LD 1456 would provide safe, secure energy to Mainers

Below is the text of Ed Friedman’s bill, to be heard before the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee of the Maine State Legislature on Monday, 6 May, at 1:00 p.m. The bill addresses “smart” meters by making electromechanical meters the only ones to be allowed. It addresseswhat may be the most common cause of dirty

Just how easy is it to hack personal data out of CMP?

Has CMP lulled you into believing that it’s an expert in protecting data, including the voluminous and continuous power usage data that not-so-smart meters relentlessly gather? If you are skeptical about CMP’s security claims, then you won’t be surprised by the report by MPBN (Maine’s PBS-NPR network) that the Iberdrola website has been hacked. Iberdrola,

Intervenor-Filed Submissions by Category & Number

Below are Index and Category Lists of evidence filed by the Interveners in MPUC case 2011-00262 (our grassroots effort to stop the exploitative deployment of not-so-smart meters in the State of Maine). In most category PDFs, there are some items shaded in yellow with the notation “Copy Filed in Docket.” These are documents filed in

Legislative Action Alert for Mainers Regarding Opt-Out Fees

By Ed Friedman A very important smart-meter bill will have its public hearing before the Energy, Utilities & Technology Committee next week on Tuesday, 26 March, in Augusta. Your input in person and/or by email or phone call to Committee legislators and your local legislators is essential! The bill would eliminate opt-out fees for retaining

Maine Smart Meter Opponents Turn Up the Heat with Filing of Expert Testimony

In Maine’s ongoing PUC investigation into the safety of smart meters, opponents turned up the heat this week on Central Maine Power (CMP). Complainants in the case filed their comprehensive expert and lay witness testimony with the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The submissions detail biological and health effects from radiofrequency or microwave radiation (RF)