VT Opt Out Free For At Least 1 Year

Press Release - Wake Up, Opt Out

Recent filings with the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) will mean that Vermonters will be able to “opt out” of smart meter installations for the rest of 2012, and possibly longer.

CVPS and GMP filed to postpone implementing their approved $10/month charges until the end of April 2013, and Burlington Electric filed to postpone their $7.50/month charge until the end of January.

Legislation is also working its way through the legislature that would prohibit any fees from being charged until after utilities accomplish “full deployment”, something that might not happen until later next spring.

This development provides relief for Vermonters for who had financial concerns over paying the fee to opt out.

“This means that Vermonters can take a ‘wait and see attitude’ at no cost to themselves,” stated Wake Up Opt Out campaign manager Jesse Mayhew. “Given all the concerns that have been raised about health impacts from the wireless technology, privacy, and the viability of the whole wireless enterprise, plenty of Vermonters have concerns. The postponement of fees means Vermonters don’t have to pay while the utilities figure out if their plans actually work.”

In recent months an increasing number of Vermonters have expressed concerns over the impending statewide smart meter rollout. Many opponents are critical of the rollout due to the lack of public participation in the planning process – public awareness of both the meter deployment and the fees came only after the program had PSB approval.

“This is important news,” said Wake Up Opt Out campaign member Tina Victor. “We’ve been saying that the utilities are getting ahead of themselves, and they now are realizing it. They don’t have a true sense of the costs, they can’t answer our questions about health impacts, and they have not assured Vermonters that this program will work. This delay means that we don’t have to pay every month while they try to get answers.”

News of the delay comes as the Wake Up Opt Out campaign continues its media efforts to spread the word of the drawbacks of smart meters for Vermonters. The campaign has seen victories in recent weeks, with voters in Manchester, Dorset, and Sandgate voting to oppose the smart meter roll-­‐out.

“The more Vermonters know, the more questions they have,” concluded Mayhew. “As GMP and CVPS contractors appear in more towns in coming months, we expect the opt out numbers to rise. We’ll see – maybe next Town Meeting Day, a lot more towns will be voicing their displeasure as well.”