HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3374        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 111

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patricia A. Duffy, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act requiring better power quality and reduced radiation from utility infrastructure.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3374        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 111

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act requiring better power quality and reduced radiation from utility infrastructure.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The legislature finds and confirms all of the following:-

Whereas, the International EMF Appeal, signed by more than 250 scientific experts, highlights that wireless and electrical devices threaten our viability and health.

Whereas, the UK PHIRE 2020 consensus statement, signed by international medical and scientific organizations, demands urgent action for a moratorium on “smart” metering, 5G, and any new wireless emissions.

Whereas, the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2010 classified magnetic fields from electricity as a possible carcinogen, and since then evidence has accrued – many countries and some U.S. states limited such exposures.

Whereas, recent research indicates fields from either electricity or wireless can harm health, but reducing and regulating such exposures improves health.

Whereas, harmful exposures hurt our most vulnerable, including infants, pregnant women, the elderly and sick, and lead to disability, including disruption of mental faculties, mood, or physical health. 

Whereas, digital metering and other digital components disrupt power quality, when poor power quality causes equipment to fail and, globally, billions of dollars of damage.

Resolved, that the policy goals of this act shall be to insure power quality and minimize harmful wireless and electricity exposures from utility infrastructure.

SECTION 2. Chapter 25 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2021 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-

(a) Definitions. As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

"Smart meter" means an advanced metering infrastructure digital device using a fixed wire, radio, or other wireless means for two-way communication between the device and an electric company.

“Electric power quality” is the degree to which the voltage, frequency, and waveform of a power supply system conform to established specifications. A good power supply can be defined as a steady supply voltage within the prescribed range, a smooth voltage curve waveform.

“Electric provider” means a public utility, including a municipal utility, that furnishes electricity directly or indirectly to the public for the purpose of providing electric service to its members only.

“Grounding  conductor”  means  a  conductor  that  connects  the  electrical distribution system of an electric provider to a grounding electrode or electrodes.

“Objectionable  flow  of  current”  means  a  steady  state  of  load  electrical current for 5 seconds or more on a grounding conductor or any other conductor that normally does not carry electric current, except for any temporary flow of electrical fault current that is caused by a phase–to–ground fault condition and that results from  the  performance  of  a  grounding  conductor’s  protective  functions  regarding faults or lightning.

“Utility provider” means a public utility, including a municipal utility, regulated by the department of public utilities.

(b)  Utility privacy. Every utility provider is prohibited from selling data, including anonymized data, gathered from its employees, clientele, or infrastructure. Every utility provider shall minimize data collection, storage, and sharing to only that necessary to provide and improve services, and if to improve services shall take measures to limit opportunity for data to be stolen and anonymized data to be deanonymized

(c)  Utility non-ionizing radiation. Every utility provider shall insure provision and metering of its services (1) protects good power quality; (2) provides where relevant for an adequate grounding conductor; (3) hard wires communications; and (4) insures public exposures fall within or below the Building Biology guidelines of slight concern. Service by a public utility fails to be reasonably adequate if the public utility violates this paragraph.

(d) Electric provider current. No  electric  provider  (1) may  cause  an objectionable flow of current to occur on property owned, leased, or occupied by any other  person; or (2) allow a substation or power lines to elevate the magnetic field of nearby buildings by more than 0.2 mG. Service by an electric provider fails to be reasonably adequate if the public utility violates this paragraph.

(e) Each utility provider shall remedy all problems associated with its plant or equipment as defined in subsections (b), (c), and (d). The department shall support inspection and may appoint or employ and remove such engineers, accountants, statisticians, bureau chiefs and division heads, assistants, inspectors, clerks and other subordinates as are required, and shall set reasonable deadlines for correction. The department shall maintain a continuous up to date cumulative record of all such inspections which shall be freely available to the public for viewing.

(f) The inspection and correction timelines by the department shall not be construed to limit recourse in a court of law for any resident harmed. The attorney general may also bring an action to enforce this section and a court may award punitive fees as well as  reasonable and necessary expenses of prosecution, including attorney fees.