Tulsa 9.12 Calls For Moratorium On Smart Meter Deployment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 5, 2015

TULSA 9.12 PROJECT CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON DEPOYMENT OF SMART METERS
Issues of safety, health, cost and violation of privacy

Tulsa, OK, October 5, 2015– The Tulsa 9.12 Project, a conservative grassroots organization, is requesting the Attorney General of the state of Oklahoma to establish a moratorium on any further installation of the problematic utility or water meters (aka Smart Meters).

Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, President of Tulsa 9.12 Project, “It is evident that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission regulates the citizens and represents the Utilities.”

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) Administrative Law Judge has now agreed with all the extremely high OPT OUT fees proposed by PSO in the current OPT OUT case. The fees are near the highest in the nation, with disregard for the health and privacy of Oklahomans and without addressing the fire related dangers or the high costs of the meters. There is no consideration for the fact that the OPT OUT customer is subsidizing the OPT IN customer for the expensive meters and all the new infrastructure required to support the meters.

The OCC has repeatedly stated that they do not regulate the type of meters used or the effects that the meters may have on the customer or the environment, it is outside their purview. They state, that their job is to approve or disapprove the rates, nothing more. Yet, in March 2015 the OCC lobbied the Oklahoma Legislature to give the OCC $100,000 of Oklahoma tax payers’ money along with the right to define the health safety and privacy disclosure, content, and rules regarding the meter approval or refusal. They were to be paid to codify into law a penalty against the people with all its terms and conditions and simultaneously state that they do not have the expertise to address the mechanics or adverse effects of an AMI meter during a rate case.

No state or federal law mandates the installation of an AMR or AMI Smart Meter without the expressed request of the customer. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), issued Order No. 745 which allowed Utilities compensation for demand programs tied to the smart meter deployment. The highly controversial FERC order was vacated in its Entirety by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 23rd 2014, yet the OCC is passing rules to implement the Demand Program in Oklahoma. The Demand program implemented in Claremore has caused an increase in electric billing of 3 to 4 fold. The billing is based on demand habits averaged over a 24 hour period rather than the actual consumption of electricity.

Tulsa 9.12 Project is requesting the respected Attorney General of the state of Oklahoma to intervene on behalf of the citizens of Oklahoma. To investigate whether the OCC has the authority to implement a Demand Program which has been vacated. To establish a moratorium on any further installation of transmitting utility or water meters. We are asking that all meters with transmitters be removed or the transmitters be turned off until the meters can be proven biologically safe from the electromagnetic radiation transmissions. That all meters must contain surge protection and be properly grounded, that no data outside of usage shall be transmitted or collected and that no added tariffs other than the operating costs to produce and transport the energy to a customer be permitted.

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