Editor,
As a resident of Revelstoke I am disturbed by Revelstoke city council’s lack of action regarding BC Hydro’s installation of Smart Meters.
In a city surrounded by natural beauty and full of health-conscious and active citizens, the associated health concerns of Smart Meters should be prioritized and reflected in the actions of our council.
As of writing, 44 city and municipal councils in B.C. including Sicamous, Salmon Arm and Enderby passed motions for moratoriums on mandatory installation of Smart Meters. This is the case in many jurisdictions in North America. Unfortunately this was not the case in Revelstoke where the issue was raised to council but then side-stepped. Residents were told to talk directly to BC Hydro, who – as many know – fail to respond to the most pertinent Smart Meter concerns.
And as a citizen of this city dealing with my own unknown health problems, a Hydro meter that emits “level 2b carcinogenic radiation” (World Health Organization) – the same category as DDT, Lead and HIV Virus – is not something I want. Critics claim Smart Meters are 100 times more powerful than a cell phone (sourced from U.S. Nuclear expert Daniel Hursch) and that they emit over 190,000 times a day. This is not something I want to have on my property.
Nor do I want something that allows BC Hydro and possible third parties to know when I am at home, what activities I’m participating in and what TV program I’m watching.
Many people are also worried about the potential for a ‘peak hour’ rate, three phased-in rate increases and a 30-300 per cent increase in their bills. BC Hydro’s flagrant lack of concern for such matters is an issue which many are calling a human rights violation in the area of health, safety and security and I for one think it is important enough to command the time and energy of our city council.
T. Eadie,
Revelstoke