Community-based environmental noise management

Abstract

After a series of major successes in implementing national environmental noise policies from the 1960s to the 1980s, the U.S. has not kept up with improvements in environmental noise policies seen in other areas of the world, most notably in Europe during the past decade. The cessation of funding for the EPA Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC) in 1981 was a defining point in the history of U.S. environmental noise policy, leading to a virtual stoppage of the development of new noise regulations. The Noise Control Act (NCA) of 1972, which established EPA ONAC, was never rescinded after ONAC funding was abolished, but it is not being implemented either. Thus national noise policies are generally not being enforced, except for aircraft certification regulations, and help for state and local efforts is inadequate. In this paper we describe an evolving concept, community-based environmental noise management, to provide practical guidance to local communities in developing noise management strategies. This concept includes components such as local noise ordinances, coordination with State and Federal agencies, incentive and cost-sharing programs, land use planning, an updated environmental impact analysis process, and a negotiation and dispute resolution process. Each of these will be briefly discussed.