The need for a unified community noise policy

Today, there exists in the United States an assortment of federal, state and local laws and regulations which attempts to define and manage community noise. However, there are sometimes serious conflicts among these mandates. These conflicts may be simply differences in the sound level limits that each regulation imposes on a given source or other substantive differences. Further, various agencies often use different metrics to characterize the offending source noise. There can also be cases where multiple sources individually comply with applicable noise limits, but in combination place an unacceptable noise level burden on the community. These conflicts arise because many governing noise policies are source (emission) oriented, limiting levels at a neighboring property line. In general, community noise policy in the U.S. has had limited success in controlling specific noise sources, while failing to contain the geographic spread and associated rise in overall noise levels. Another approach is to manage the total noise environment of the receiving person. Using a noise exposure effects (immission) methodology to assess community impact may provide the tools needed to harmonize currently conflicting noise policies. It is time for a serious debate on the policy direction needed to improve our acoustical environment.