Right to Know Announcement – 6-23-26
Article 19 of the 2022 Town of Hardwick Annual Town Meeting was adopted on March 1, 2022.
The article states: “Shall the Town require its government to provide notice on its website to its residents when the Town receives notice that sources of radiation generated by cell towers/transmitters, Wi-Fi tower transmitters, and 5G antennas are being proposed for licensing and installation within the Town limits?”
This page, https://hardwickvt.gov/right-to-know/, is where notices regarding telecommunication projects will be posted when they are received by the town. Please note, the town does not receive information regarding all projects.
The following information was received in the Zoning Office on June 23, 2026.
Hardwick Electric Department, in conjunction with the Vermont Public Power Supply Association, is embarking on a project to provide smart meters across its service territory to modernize the electric grid, improve operations, and enhance information sharing with customers. This is consistent with the policy of the state and the direction of all utilities.
Smart meters, and the associated communications devices to send information back and forth between the utility and customers – DCU’s, utilize occasional radio frequency transmission of a low power. They are safe, with a similar profile to a baby monitor. As the project gets closer to starting, customers will be afforded the opportunity to “opt out” of having a smart meter, though all customers will be receiving a new meter to ensure all customers have the most accurate readings possible.
Additional information is available on the town’s website.