The Marin County Board of Supervisors has approved a moratorium on SmartMeter installation in unincorporated areas of Marin. The Board, however, apparently has no authority to enact such a delay. From the Marin Independent Journal:
PG&E says it will continue SmartMeter installations despite Marin moratorium
A moratorium on the installation of SmartMeters was imposed on Marin's unincorporated areas by county supervisors Tuesday, but Pacific Gas and Electric Co. says it will continue to install them anyway.
The move came on a 4-0 vote as supervisors bowed to a persistent crowd of meter foes even though officials conceded that the state Public Utilities Commission, not the county, has authority over the devices.
"This action is a political action," said Supervisor Judy Arnold, and as such should send a strong message to utility officials. Full article
The public comment period before this particular vote was a bit of a PG&E hatefest. We'll have some audio clips tomorrow.
The board also delayed a ban on plastic bags. Against from the MIJ:
Last-minute protests by foes of a plastic bag ban prompted Marin officials to delay adoption of a measure outlawing plastic bags at grocery store checkout counters pending more study.
The bag plan will be back before the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 25, after a review of legal arguments from a group called the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition.
Supervisor Charles McGlashan said a delay made sense even though he criticized a thick stack of coalition legal arguments as "debris" and "bunk."
He said the board would move ahead with the ban after lawyers reconsider its legal foundation. Full article