Ulster County lawmakers back opt-out proposal for electronic utility meters
KINGSTON>> Ulster County lawmakers have thrown their support behind state legislation that would allow residents to opt out of having electronic utility meters installed on their homes.
Legislators voted 12-0 Tuesday, with 11 members absent, during a meeting of the Ulster County Legislature in favor of the resolution, which urges the state Legislature prohibit electric utilities from forcing consumers to use so-called smart meters or transmitting utility meters on their homes.
There are currently bills pending in the state Assembly and the state Senate that would allow electric customers to decline the installation of the meters.
In October, more than a dozen critics of the new meters being installed by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. called on Ulster County lawmakers to investigate the technology, which they say is making county residents ill.
Opponents of the technology say radio emissions from what they called “smart meters” cause headaches, insomnia and heart palpitations.
Central Hudson has said the meters being installed by the company are not smart meters, which have not been approved for use in the state. The utility said its meters emit wireless radio frequency/microwave radiation only to convey information to the company about utility use, but do not, as smart meters do, allow for two-way communication between the utility and customers and automatically read meters. The meters being installed have been deemed safe by state Public Service Commission and Federal Communications Commission, the utility says.
The utility has said that the meters emit “extremely” low signals for one-6,000th of a second every two to 30 seconds.
Central Hudson officials have said the new meters are being installed because the analog meters on most homes are obsolete and no longer available.
Republicans legislators Mary Wawro, Bob Aiello, and Dean Fabiano of Saugerties, Wayne Harris of Clintondale, Mary Beth Maio of Milton, Craig Lopez of Pine Bush and Kevin Roberts of Plattekill, and Democrats Jeanette Provenzano of Kingston, Robert Parete of Stone Ridge, John Parete of Boiceville, and T.J. Briggs of Ellenville were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since 1990, Patricia Doxsey has been a reporter for the Freeman, covering politics, crime, and government affairs. Reach the author atpdoxsey@freemanonline.com or follow Patricia on Twitter: @pattiatfreeman.
No comments:
Post a Comment