EPA Document Collection

Subject Index

About the EPA document collection held by the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse.

Subject Index: A B C E G H I L M O P R S T U W
Title Index: A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U W

Single page lists: authors subjects titles
Most useful EPA documents


Sleep Disturbance

See also Behavioral Effects, Health Effects.

Aviation Noise Effects
March 1, 1985
PDF

This report summarizes the effects of aviation noise in many areas, ranging from human annoyance to impact on real estate values. It also synthesizes the findings of literature on several topics. Included in the literature were many original studies carried out under FAA and other Federal funding over the past two decades. Efforts have been made to present the critical findings and conclusions of pertinent research, providing, when possible, a "bottom line" conclusion, criterion or perspective for the reader. Issues related to aviation noise are highlighted, and current policy is presented. Specific areas addresses in the report include the following: Annoyance, Hearing and Hearing Loss, Noise Metrics, Human Response to Noise, Speech Interference, Sleep Interference, Non-Auditory Health Effects of Noise, Effects of Noise on Wild and Domesticated Animals, Low Frequency Acoustical Energy, Impulsive Noise, Time of Day Weightings, Noise Contours, Land Use Compatibility, Real Estate Values. This document is designed for a variety of users, from the individual completely unfamiliar with aviation noise to experts in the field. Summaries are provided at the beginning of each section; references are also included.

Effects of Noise on People
December 31, 1971
PDF

It has not been demonstrated that many people have had their lives shortened by noise. While undoubtedly there have been accidental injuries and deaths when auditory warning signals were misunderstood or not heard because of the effects of noise, the prevalence of these has not been evaluated. Perhaps the stress of continued exposure to high levels of noise can produce disease or make one more susceptible to disease, but the evidence is not convincing. There are only hints of relations between exposure to noise and the incidence of disease. In other words, the effects of noise on people have not been successfully measured in terms of "excess deaths" or "shortened lifespan" or "days of incapacitating illness." The only well-established effects of noise on health is that of noise-induced hearing loss. There is clear evidence to support the following statements about the effects on people of exposure to noise of sufficient intensity and duration. Noise can permanently damage the inner ear with resulting permanent hearing loss that can range from slight impairment to nearly total deafness. Noise can result in temporary hearing losses and repeated exposures to noise can lead to chronic hearing losses. Noise can interfere with speech communication and the perception of other auditory signals. Noise can disturb sleep. Noise can be a source of annoyance. Noise can interfere with the performance of complicated tasks and, of course, can especially disturb performance when speech communication or response to auditory signal is demanded. Noise and other acoustical considerations can reduce the opportunity for privacy. Noise can adversely influence mood and disturb relaxation. In all of these ways noise can affect the essential nature of human life - its quality. It is for these reasons that the recitation of facts and hypotheses that follow may be of some importance.

Federal Noise Research in Health Effects, 1978-80
December 1, 1980
PDF

This review of federally sponsored research on the effects of noise on health updates a previous survey, and compares present trends in research in each research category and by federal agency. The following categories of research are covered: Nonauditory Physiologic Responses; Noise Effects on Sleep; Individual and Community Response; Behavioral, Social, and Performance Effects; Communication Interference; Noise Environment Determination and Exposure Characterization; and Human Response to Noise Concomitant with Vibration. Over 250 research projects were sponsored by twenty Departments, Institutes, and Agencies during the 1978-80 period. The following information is provided for each project: title; objective; description; summary of findings; where findings are published; period of performance; name and address of investigator; name, address and telephone number of agency contact person; fiscal year funding data. In comparing present research with previous recommendations made by an Interagency Panel, it was determined that overall expenditures had increased by about 15 percent (compared with the previous period) instead of the recommended 40 percent; and that in general, the Panel's recommendations have not been implemented in the priority areas.

Federal Noise Research in Noise Effects
February 14, 1978
PDF

The Federal Noise Effects Research Program was documented and reviewed. The program expanded slightly over the last few years, with more agencies participating. The program is reasonably comprehensive and in general coordinated with no unjustified overlap of efforts. Research needs to support and justify regulatory and standards requirements were identified by the Panel as being of the highest priority. Satisfaction of these relatively short term goals with present budget restrictions could jeopardize long-range basic research needs to understand basic effects mechanisms. To satisfy both requirements, the Panel on the average recommends an increase of the overall Federal noise effects research budget of 40%. The Panel recommends several specific research topics for high priority funding. Some of these recommendations are the same ones listed among the 1974 recommendations, and the Panel was concerned about the only partial responsiveness to previous findings. Among the areas requiring additional support are effects of noise on sleep, and community or collective response. The area primarily requiring additional support priority and clarification is the area of non-auditory health effects, since no major well planned program for this area was apparent.

Foreign Noise Research in Health Effects
May 1, 1981
PDF

Research from 19 countries, including 168 research projects, is described on the following topics: nonauditory physiologic response to noise; noise effects on sleep; industrial and community response to noise; noise-induced hearing loss and hearing conservation; behavioral, social and performance effects on noise; communication interference, noise environment determination and impact characterization, and effects of noise concomitant with vibration. For each project, an abstract, the name and address of the principle investigation, funding and sponsor data if available, and citations for available publications are given. It is concluded that foreign research efforts in this area have remained fairly constant over the last six years.

Measures of Noise Level: Their Relative Accuracy in Predicting Objective and Subjective Responses to Noise During Sleep
February 1, 1977
PDF

A review of domestic and foreign scientific literature on the effects of noise on human sleep indicates that no sleep disruption can be predicted with good accuracy (correlation coefficients of about 0.80) if the noise descriptor accounts for the frequency-weighted spectrum and the duration of the noise. Units such as EdBA, EPNdB, and SENEL are better predictors than a unit such as maximum dBA. Furthermore, no sleep disruption can be predicted more accurately than arousal or behavioral awakening responses. Some evidence suggests that questionnaires about subjective sleep quality should contain items dealing with the subject's (a) sense of well being on arising, (b) sense of the general quality of his sleep, and (c)estimates on how long it took to fall asleep. Scores on these items can be summed to develop a Composite Sleep Quality measure. Although the amount of evidence is limited, such Composite Sleep Quality is correlated highly (about 0.90) with Composite Noise Rating (CNR) when units of EPNdB or EdBA are used to calculate CNR. Other techniques for calculating the total nighttime noise environment, such as Leq and NNI, have some shortcomings with respect to their ability to predict Composite Sleep Quality.

Proceedings of the International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem
PDF

In 1968, a Conference on Noise as a Public Health Hazard was organized by the American Speech and Hearing Association. At this conference, an attempt was made to bring together a group of speakers who could present summaries of the current state of knowledge ell all aspects of the "noise problem", ranging all tile way from fairly technical treatises to completely non-technical statements of personal opinion. Such a wide-ranging representation was judged to be necessary for the purpose of that conference, which was to present a broad overview of what "noise pollution" was all about, to government personnel and other intelligent laymen who saw that it was probably going to become a hot issue, and give at least a few examples of the scientific evidence underlying arguments about just what effects noise does have. At this time it was realized that as the environmentalist movement gathered momentum, a rapid development of public concern could be expected, and so a permanent Committee of ASHA was established, one of whose charges was to plan another conference when it was judged appropriate. The burgeoning of interest in noise in the intervening 5 years has clearly met, if not surpassed, our expectations at that time. In the developed areas of the world, millions of dollars or their equivalent are being spent on surveys of noise levels and exposures, and increasingly stringent noise regulations are being imposed by all levels of government. And, although the measurement of the effects of noise is nowhere near as simple as the measurement of the noises themselves, many laboratories, mostly with federal support, are engaged in full-time research on the hearing losses, sleep disturbance, speech interference, alteration of physiological state, and annoyance caused by noise. Accordingly, in 1971 we began looking for a sponsor for a second conference-one who would agree, we hoped, to fund attendance by a substantial number of researchers from abroad, so that certain areas of knowledge less intensively studied in the USA could be included in the subject matter. Fortunately, the head of the newly-created Office of Noise Abatement end Control (ONAC) of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Alvin F. Meyer, had need of just such a conference, as a source material for a document summarizing all known criteria that might be used to establish national standards for noise control-that is, provided that the Congress passed the bill, then being duly debated and amended, that would make such a document necessary. Furthermore, certain PL 480 funds (money that must be spent in other countries) were available, which meant that the degree of participation by foreign scientists might be even greater than we had hoped. Not only that, but the particular PL 480 funds in this case were in Jugoslavia, the country that includes one of the garden spots of the world, Dubrovnik. On the assumption that our Congress would pass some form of the bill in question (which it did on October 27, 1972), we forged ahead with plans for our meeting, now upgraded to an International Congress. With the help of Dr. Grujica Zarkovic, the energetic President of the Jugoslavian Medical Association, and Dr. Mario Levi of the University of Sarajevo, a planning meeting was held to which we invited a representative from most of the countries in which noise research was being done (I say "most" because we could not quite afford to pay for attendees from Japan, Australia, and South Africa because of the distance involved, even though considerable research is being done there). At this meeting the formal agenda was decided on, and the list of invited participants prepared. It was agreed that we would try to limit the Congress content strictly to the effects of noise on health, thereby excluding discussions of engineering aspects of noise reduction and control, descriptions of methods for legal control, and presentation of viewpoints of special-interest groups. There was some debate about how much time to allot to public opinion surveys of annoyance, some of as contending that annoyance, as measured in that manner, is not a health hazard at all in the ordinary sense of the term. However, proponents of the WHO definition of "health", in which any deviation from "optimum well-being" is regarded as undesirable, carried the field, and the final day of the Congress was therefore given over to the sociologists. Despite a series of crises precipitated by governmental red tape originating both in Washington and Belgrade, the Congress was held on May 13-18, 1973 at the Libertas Hotel in Dubrovnik. We had two major disappointments: one was the failure of our Russian invitees to appear due to the fact that our official invitations had not been sent early enough. The other was that the Xerox machine at the Libertas was out of commission. However, the general success of the Congress can be gauged by the fact that the audience was as large on the final afternoon as at any other time. A side benefit of the Congress (or so we hope) was the formation of an international organization consisting of 5 "teams" who will try to accumulate and coordinate knowledge about the effects of noise on (1) temporary and permanent bearing loss; (2) extra auditory function; (3) speech; (4) sleep; and (5) community reaction. The parent group, or "basic" team, will attempt to consolidate this knowledge for use by governmental agencies, and will make plans for the next Congress. Although the organization is now alive, its name is still in question. At the moment it is still the "'International Scientific Noise Teams", but the resulting acronym has a negative connotation that pleases few of us. Other names are being considered. I regret that the length of the invited papers made it impracticable to publish at this time any of the short contributed papers that were presented at the Congress, many of which were excellent, or the often-lively discussions that followed each session. It is hoped that these can be included if another printing of the Proceedings is to be made. An enterprise of this scope cannot be a success without hard work on the part of many people. Without doubt the most effort of all wax put forth by Dr. Levi, who managed all the mechanical details of the Congress, with the help of his and Dr. Zarkovic's staff, particularly, Felih Vesna. Official thanks are extended to our sponsoring organizations: The Jugoslavian Medical Association, The American Speech and Hearing Association, the World Health Organization, and of course most of all the Office of Noise Abatement and Control.

The Public Health Effects of Community Noise
May 1, 1987
PDF

Noise is "any loud, discordant or disagreeable sound" according to Webster's Dictionary (15, p.1). Another definition would be "unwanted sound". Nearly everyone is exposed to noise at some time in their lives, yet the control of noise is not a top priority for most environmental control programs. Community noise is a very widespread problem that can cause serious public health problems. It is well-established that noise can cause hearing loss in the workplace, but what are the other effects of noise outside the workplace? The World Health Organization defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social well being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This paper will examine the evidence for the effects of noise on the cardiovascular system, the performance of tasks, the unborn and children, social behavior and mental health, sleep, speech communication and hearing. The majority of the analysis will be spent on the cardiovascular effects because they are both the most controversial and the most potentially health threatening. It is hoped that this examination of the public health effects of community noise will serve as justification for increased priority and effort in noise control at the community, state and federal levels. In addition to noise control programs, this review should also be used to educate the public on the hazards of community noise exposure and how to protect themselves from it.

The Social Impact of Noise
December 31, 1971
PDF

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Using this definition it is evident that noise can be considered as having an important influence on the health of man. Because of its pervasive influence in all settings, activities and walks of life it has been often cited as a major source of annoyance as well as a threat to physical and mental health. For most people the usual consequences of noise are associated with interference with listening to speech or other sounds, distraction at home and on the job, disturbance of rest and sleep, and disruption of recreational pursuits. All of the foregoing can be considered components of the quality of life. In dealing with the social impact of noise, this report is divided into several sections: 1.Overview 2. Extent of problem - Changing Scope of Problem 3. Effects of Noise 3.1 Medical 3.2 Psychological 3.3 Social.

The Urban Noise Survey
August 1, 1977
PDF

Most of the existing social survey data base on community annoyance has been in character and has been concerned primarily with airport and highway related noise. An essential element in assessing the impact of noise in urban areas away from airports and highways is the evaluation of the attitudes of people concerning the noise in the residential environment. A social survey was conducted to sample opinion over the entire range of noise exposure and population density characteristics of non-rural America.The objective of the Urban Noise Survey was to develop a first order relationship between noise exposure and human response as a function of situational and attitudinal variables associated with the life styles of people in various urban environments. This survey differed from prior surveys in the general area of noise pollution in several important aspects: (1) it was specifically designed to study noise exposure not directly related to airport and highway sources; (2) the social survey was made in conjunction with simultaneous physical measurements of noise exposure at sites with widely different noise environments; (3) it was national rather than local in character and was addressed to a broad rather than narrow range of noise exposures and respondents' life styles. Some of the major conclusions are that: (a) exposure to noise typical of many urban (non-aircraft and non-highway) environments produces widespread annoyance, speech interference, and sleep disturbance; (b) a strong relationship was demonstrated between exposure level and the proportion of a community highly annoyed by noise; (c) the prevalence of speech interference is an especially good predictor of annoyance; (d) the number of complaints about noise is a poor predictor of the prevalence of annoyance; (e) demographic factors alone are relatively poor predictors of noise annoyance; (f) freedom from noise exposure is a component of a neighborhood satisfaction, and quiet is highly valued; (g) noises associated with automotive sources are the most pervasive sources of annoying noise in urban areas; (h) annoyance associated with intrusive noise sources may be related to measurable noise exposure from such sources, even when their magnitudes are not as great as the level of overall exposure in a community; (i) there is some evidence that human response to noise exposure at Ldn values in excess of 70 dB is more acute than at lower levels.

Snowmobiles

Control of Snowmobile Noise Volume 1 Technology and Cost Information
June 1, 1974
PDF

This document contains information useful for the development of noise emission standards for snowmobiles. Topics covered include information on snowmobile construction, noise characteristics of models currently on the market, and noise reduction techniques and costs necessary to achieve specified noise levels,

Sound Level Meters

See Metering and Measurement.

Speech

The Ability of Mildly Hearing-Impaired Individuals to Discriminate Speech in Noise
January 1, 1978
PDF

The purpose of the investigation was to explore the relationship between hearing level at various audiometric frequencies and speech discrimination in different noise backgrounds. The study was designed specifically to test the American Academy of Opthamology and Otolaryngology's (AAOO) selection of a 26-dB average of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, as the point above which hearing handicap occurs. The AAOO method for computing hearing handicap has lately been brought into question for two primary reasons: that the 26-dB fence is too high, and for the exclusion of frequencies above 2000 Hz. The present study, therefore, attempted to see if there were differences among individuals whose hearing was at or better than the low fence, and if so, what factors caused or affected the differences.

Aviation Noise Effects
March 1, 1985
PDF

This report summarizes the effects of aviation noise in many areas, ranging from human annoyance to impact on real estate values. It also synthesizes the findings of literature on several topics. Included in the literature were many original studies carried out under FAA and other Federal funding over the past two decades. Efforts have been made to present the critical findings and conclusions of pertinent research, providing, when possible, a "bottom line" conclusion, criterion or perspective for the reader. Issues related to aviation noise are highlighted, and current policy is presented. Specific areas addresses in the report include the following: Annoyance, Hearing and Hearing Loss, Noise Metrics, Human Response to Noise, Speech Interference, Sleep Interference, Non-Auditory Health Effects of Noise, Effects of Noise on Wild and Domesticated Animals, Low Frequency Acoustical Energy, Impulsive Noise, Time of Day Weightings, Noise Contours, Land Use Compatibility, Real Estate Values. This document is designed for a variety of users, from the individual completely unfamiliar with aviation noise to experts in the field. Summaries are provided at the beginning of each section; references are also included.

Proceedings of the International Congress on Noise as a Public Health Problem
PDF

In 1968, a Conference on Noise as a Public Health Hazard was organized by the American Speech and Hearing Association. At this conference, an attempt was made to bring together a group of speakers who could present summaries of the current state of knowledge ell all aspects of the "noise problem", ranging all tile way from fairly technical treatises to completely non-technical statements of personal opinion. Such a wide-ranging representation was judged to be necessary for the purpose of that conference, which was to present a broad overview of what "noise pollution" was all about, to government personnel and other intelligent laymen who saw that it was probably going to become a hot issue, and give at least a few examples of the scientific evidence underlying arguments about just what effects noise does have. At this time it was realized that as the environmentalist movement gathered momentum, a rapid development of public concern could be expected, and so a permanent Committee of ASHA was established, one of whose charges was to plan another conference when it was judged appropriate. The burgeoning of interest in noise in the intervening 5 years has clearly met, if not surpassed, our expectations at that time. In the developed areas of the world, millions of dollars or their equivalent are being spent on surveys of noise levels and exposures, and increasingly stringent noise regulations are being imposed by all levels of government. And, although the measurement of the effects of noise is nowhere near as simple as the measurement of the noises themselves, many laboratories, mostly with federal support, are engaged in full-time research on the hearing losses, sleep disturbance, speech interference, alteration of physiological state, and annoyance caused by noise. Accordingly, in 1971 we began looking for a sponsor for a second conference-one who would agree, we hoped, to fund attendance by a substantial number of researchers from abroad, so that certain areas of knowledge less intensively studied in the USA could be included in the subject matter. Fortunately, the head of the newly-created Office of Noise Abatement end Control (ONAC) of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Alvin F. Meyer, had need of just such a conference, as a source material for a document summarizing all known criteria that might be used to establish national standards for noise control-that is, provided that the Congress passed the bill, then being duly debated and amended, that would make such a document necessary. Furthermore, certain PL 480 funds (money that must be spent in other countries) were available, which meant that the degree of participation by foreign scientists might be even greater than we had hoped. Not only that, but the particular PL 480 funds in this case were in Jugoslavia, the country that includes one of the garden spots of the world, Dubrovnik. On the assumption that our Congress would pass some form of the bill in question (which it did on October 27, 1972), we forged ahead with plans for our meeting, now upgraded to an International Congress. With the help of Dr. Grujica Zarkovic, the energetic President of the Jugoslavian Medical Association, and Dr. Mario Levi of the University of Sarajevo, a planning meeting was held to which we invited a representative from most of the countries in which noise research was being done (I say "most" because we could not quite afford to pay for attendees from Japan, Australia, and South Africa because of the distance involved, even though considerable research is being done there). At this meeting the formal agenda was decided on, and the list of invited participants prepared. It was agreed that we would try to limit the Congress content strictly to the effects of noise on health, thereby excluding discussions of engineering aspects of noise reduction and control, descriptions of methods for legal control, and presentation of viewpoints of special-interest groups. There was some debate about how much time to allot to public opinion surveys of annoyance, some of as contending that annoyance, as measured in that manner, is not a health hazard at all in the ordinary sense of the term. However, proponents of the WHO definition of "health", in which any deviation from "optimum well-being" is regarded as undesirable, carried the field, and the final day of the Congress was therefore given over to the sociologists. Despite a series of crises precipitated by governmental red tape originating both in Washington and Belgrade, the Congress was held on May 13-18, 1973 at the Libertas Hotel in Dubrovnik. We had two major disappointments: one was the failure of our Russian invitees to appear due to the fact that our official invitations had not been sent early enough. The other was that the Xerox machine at the Libertas was out of commission. However, the general success of the Congress can be gauged by the fact that the audience was as large on the final afternoon as at any other time. A side benefit of the Congress (or so we hope) was the formation of an international organization consisting of 5 "teams" who will try to accumulate and coordinate knowledge about the effects of noise on (1) temporary and permanent bearing loss; (2) extra auditory function; (3) speech; (4) sleep; and (5) community reaction. The parent group, or "basic" team, will attempt to consolidate this knowledge for use by governmental agencies, and will make plans for the next Congress. Although the organization is now alive, its name is still in question. At the moment it is still the "'International Scientific Noise Teams", but the resulting acronym has a negative connotation that pleases few of us. Other names are being considered. I regret that the length of the invited papers made it impracticable to publish at this time any of the short contributed papers that were presented at the Congress, many of which were excellent, or the often-lively discussions that followed each session. It is hoped that these can be included if another printing of the Proceedings is to be made. An enterprise of this scope cannot be a success without hard work on the part of many people. Without doubt the most effort of all wax put forth by Dr. Levi, who managed all the mechanical details of the Congress, with the help of his and Dr. Zarkovic's staff, particularly, Felih Vesna. Official thanks are extended to our sponsoring organizations: The Jugoslavian Medical Association, The American Speech and Hearing Association, the World Health Organization, and of course most of all the Office of Noise Abatement and Control.

The Urban Noise Survey
August 1, 1977
PDF

Most of the existing social survey data base on community annoyance has been in character and has been concerned primarily with airport and highway related noise. An essential element in assessing the impact of noise in urban areas away from airports and highways is the evaluation of the attitudes of people concerning the noise in the residential environment. A social survey was conducted to sample opinion over the entire range of noise exposure and population density characteristics of non-rural America.The objective of the Urban Noise Survey was to develop a first order relationship between noise exposure and human response as a function of situational and attitudinal variables associated with the life styles of people in various urban environments. This survey differed from prior surveys in the general area of noise pollution in several important aspects: (1) it was specifically designed to study noise exposure not directly related to airport and highway sources; (2) the social survey was made in conjunction with simultaneous physical measurements of noise exposure at sites with widely different noise environments; (3) it was national rather than local in character and was addressed to a broad rather than narrow range of noise exposures and respondents' life styles. Some of the major conclusions are that: (a) exposure to noise typical of many urban (non-aircraft and non-highway) environments produces widespread annoyance, speech interference, and sleep disturbance; (b) a strong relationship was demonstrated between exposure level and the proportion of a community highly annoyed by noise; (c) the prevalence of speech interference is an especially good predictor of annoyance; (d) the number of complaints about noise is a poor predictor of the prevalence of annoyance; (e) demographic factors alone are relatively poor predictors of noise annoyance; (f) freedom from noise exposure is a component of a neighborhood satisfaction, and quiet is highly valued; (g) noises associated with automotive sources are the most pervasive sources of annoying noise in urban areas; (h) annoyance associated with intrusive noise sources may be related to measurable noise exposure from such sources, even when their magnitudes are not as great as the level of overall exposure in a community; (i) there is some evidence that human response to noise exposure at Ldn values in excess of 70 dB is more acute than at lower levels.

State and Local Issues

See also Enforcement.

Community Noise
December 31, 1971
PDF

This report addresses the part of the overall noise pollution problem which is associated with outdoor noise in the community. It attempts to provide a quantitative framework for understanding the nature of the outdoor noise environment and the reaction of people and community to its various aspects. The detailed information in this report provides backup to the summary material in the EPA report, as well as additional material relevant to meaningful measures of the noise environment for both future community noise monitoring and research purposes.

Community Noise Assessment Manual - Social Survey Workbook
PDF

The U.S. Environemtnal Protection Agency has developed a "Community Noise Assessment Manual" to provide local governments detailed guidelines in developing a comprehensive noise control program. This manual includes the following documents: Acoustical Survey, Social Survey Workbook, and Community Noise Strategy Guidelines. This specific document - the second referenced above - is a workbook which provides specific instruction for the design and administration of a social survey of community attitudes towards noise. The reader is referred to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Noise Abatement and Control for assistance in analysis and interpretation of this survey data and for infromation concerning the other referenced publications.

Community Noise Assessment Manual - Strategy Guidelines for Developing a Community Noise Control Program
August 1, 1979
PDF

In response to Congressional mandates, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Noise Abatement and Control, has funded the development of a series of manuals, prepared by Wyle Laboratories, to support a Quiet Cities Program. The first of these manuals, entitled "Community Noise Assessment Manual - Social Survey Workbook," provided detailed instructions for conducting an attitudinal survey on noise in a community. The second manual, entitled "Community Noise Assessment Manual - Acoustical Survey," provided detailed practical procedures for conducting a noise measurement survey in a community. This manual, the third in this series, is designed to assist local governments in making logical and cost-effective decisions on the allocation of funds to reduce the adverse effects of noise in their communities. To make maximum use of the material in this document, a community will have utilized the preceding manuals, or their equivalents, to obtain detailed data on the noise environment, and attitudes toward this environment, in their community. However, this manual also stands alone in that it contains many useful guidelines and procedures which a community can utilize to decide on the most efficient allocation of effort and funds directed toward preserving the natural resource - quiet - in their community.

Community Noise Assessment Manual - User's Manual for the Social Survey Computer System
July 1, 1981
PDF

The Attitudinal Survay Data Analysis System (ASDAS) is a system of computer programs. It is designed to analyze the raw numbers generated by a sociological survey (the Community Noise Assessment Social Survey) and produce from them a series of concise, meaningful reports. The system is administered by the State and Local Programs Division of the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement and Control (ONAC). In conjunction with the Acoustical Data Reduction and Noise Optimization (NOIZOP) computer programs, ASDAS makes up the data processing and of a larger system of data collection and data processing protocols. This larger system is called LISTEN, an acronym for Local Information System to Evaluate Noise. (Strictly speaking, LISTEN refers only to the data processing end of this system, but the term is often used to refer the system as a whole). LISTEN enables a community to determine the most effective combination of noise control measures to employ, given: the nature and distribution of noise sources within the community; the extent and manner in which noise affects the community's residents; and the budgetary limits imposed on the community's planners. Figure 1-1 shows ASDAS' relationship to the rest of LISTEN.

Community Noise Assessment Manual: Acoustical Survey of a Community
July 1, 1981
PDF

This report was prepared by EPA, Office of Noise Abatement and Control, in support of its function to provide technical assisstance to communities. It is one of nine which comprises the Community Noise Assessment Manual. The Manual provides a comprehensive and computerized system for assessing the noise problems of a community and then planning a noise control strategy for its abatement. This Manual presents the technical instructions and guidelines needed by municipal authorities to carry out an initial noise survey. This survey will determine average noise levels ad major noise sources for the community as a whole. It can be used in planning noise reduction measures to benefit the entire community or a substantial portion thereof.

Community Noise Ordinances: Their Evolution, Purpose and Impact
March 13, 1973
PDF

In the United States most municipal noise ordinances initially regulated street related activities, however, these early provisions were generally non-quantitative and consequently unenforceable. The first ordinances containing specific permissible noise levels regulated either activities fixed to the land (industrial activity being the primary source) or automobile and trucks operating on roadways. Today more comprehensive ordinances are evolveing and these regulations are the basis for expanded municipal noise control programs. Their impact has varied due to the quality, content and administration of these ordinances. Recently approved Federal noise legislation (Noise Control Act of 1972) will have a profound influence on the quality and quantity of municipal ordinances.

Construction Noise Control Technology Initiatives
September 1, 1980
PDF

The objective of this report is to develop construction noise technology initiatives which could be implemented by the Technology and Federal Programs Division, Office of Noise Abatement and Control, U.S. EPA during the period FY1981-FY1985. The report includes background information on the impact of construction noise, actions that have been carried out by Federal, State and local governments to control construction equipment and construction site noise, and a forecast of construction activity for the period 1980-1985. Construction noise technology needs are developed by: (1) analyzing the noise problems and needs of State and local governments reported in several EPA sponsored surveys; (2) interviews with knowledgable persons in the Federal government, and (3) a telephone survey of equipment manufacturers, construction contractors and trade organizations. Technology initiatives are identified based on the analysis of needs. Project descriptions for each initiative are included in the Appendix. The relative priority for implementing each project is determined using a priority ranking scheme. Finding and conclusions based on the expressed needs, the techology initiatives, and the priority for implementing the technology projects are presented.

Guidance Manual for Police in State and Local Noise Enforcement Procedures
PDF

The purpose of this manual is to provide law enforcement personnel with the necessary technical skills and procedures to enforce State and Local motor vehicle noise laws. The manual has been written for use by the police officer charged with the enforcement responsibilities, as well as his supervisor.

Guidelines and Sample Training Workbook for Police Enforcement of Noise Regulations
February 1, 1980
PDF

This report is one of the products of a contract between the EPA's Noise Enforcement Division and Jack Faucett Associates, Inc. One purpose of the contract is to develop materials suitable for use in training State and local police officers to enforce their noise control laws.

Guidelines for Considering Noise in Land Use Planning and Control
June 1, 1980
PDF

In recent years noise has become a recognized factor in the community planning process. Some significant advancements are being made in the reduction of noise at its source; however, noise cannot be eliminated completely. Local, state, and Federal agencies, in recognition of this fact, have developed guidelines and procedures to deal with noise in the community land use planning process. A number of Federal agencies have published policies and/or guidance on noise and land use. These agencies have done this for several different reasons: to carry out public law mandates to protect the public health and welfare and provide for environmental enhancement; to serve as the basis for grant approvals; and to integrate the consideration of noise into the overall comprehensive planning and interagency/intergovernmental coordination process. Because the purposes and uses of these policy and guidance packages are often different, they can appear to be inconsistent and incomparable. This situation may have inhibited state and local planning and decision making with respect to noise and land use and, thus, inhibited consideration of noise in various Federal-grant-in-aid programs. The purpose of this document is to put the various Federal agency policy and guidance packages into perspective. Although this document does not replace the individual Federal agency material, it can serve as the departure point for dealing with each agency's programs and facilitate the consideration of noise in all land use planning and interagency/intergovernmental coordination process. Although several of these Federal programs include noise standards or guidelines as part of their eligibility and performance criteria, the primary responsibility for integrating noise considerations into the planning process rests with local government which generally has exclusive control over actual land development. Noise, like soil conditions, physiographic features, seismic stability, floodplains and other considerations, is a valid land use determinant. Scientific evidence clearly points to noise as not simply a nuisance but an important health and welfare concern. The purpose of considering noise in the land use planning process is not to prevent development but rather to encourage development that is compatible with various noise levels. The objective is to guide noise sensitive land uses away from the noise and encourage non-sensitive land uses where there is noise. Where this is not possible, measures should be included in development projects to reduce the effects of noise. Section 1 presents consolidated Federal agency land use compatibility guidelines. Section 2 overviews techniques by which the guidelines can be implemented. Section 3 briefly overviews the major Federal agency noise control policies and programs. The Appendices contain brief descriptions of environmental noise descriptors and annotated bibliographies of selected Federal documents.

A Method for Assessing Automobile Noise
June 1, 1980
PDF

This study presents a methods that can be used to examine and quantify each factor contributing to motor vehicle noise produced by automobile accelerating on city/suburban streets. It is based on data collected in six different jurisdictions subject to a range of noise control programs and was developed to assisst State/local jurisdictions to formulate or refine motor vehicle noise control programs.

A Method for Assessing the Effectiveness of Property Line Noise Control Programs
June 1, 1980
PDF

This study describes the basic components found in four active property lijne noise control programs and suggests a method for assessing program effectiveness. It is for use by local jurisdictions interested in developing property linne noise control or assessing current program completeness.

Model Community Noise Control Ordinance
September 1, 1975
PDF

This report contains a model ordinance for use by cities and counties in the development of noise control ordinances tailored to local conditions and goals. It is a comprehensive, performance-standard noise ordinance intended to overcome enforcement problems associated with the outmoded nuisance law approach to noise control. This report contains sections on the control of noise from both stationary and mobile sources and includes land use planning provisions. A preamble gives important explanatory information for certain ordinance sections.

Model Noise Control Ordinance
PDF

The Model Noise Control Ordinance (model ordinance) is intended to be a basic tool which communities, both large and small, can use to construct noise control ordinances suited to local needs and conditions. The complete model ordinance, including optional provisions, is perhaps more suitable for larger communities, with populations of about 100,000 or more. Smaller communities and large communities with limited resources may wish to adopt only those provisions which address their most pressing noise problems. It is important that the community ensure that all provisions adopted are realistic in relation to local needs and conditions; that all provisions are consistent with one another, with other local law, and with State and Federal law; and, finally, that all provisions are clear and otherwise well drafted so that enforcement problems will be minimalized.

Noise Effects Handbook: A Desk Reference to Health and Welfare Effects of Noise
July 1, 1981
PDF

This desk reference contains thmost up-to-date scientific information on the health effects of noise in a "Question and Answer" format designed for technical ro semi-technical audiences such as State and local Noise Control Officials or the general public.

Noise in America: Extent of the Noise Problem
September 1, 1981
PDF

The number of Americans exposed to various levels of occupational and environmental noise is estimated. Estimates are made for 11 categories of noise producers (e.g., traffic, aircraft, construction) using the Ldn or Leq(24) metrics. The assumptions in the models used, including , including demographic projections, are made explicit for all estimates. Estimates for combined exposures to traffic and other community noise sources are also made, as well as indoor noise exposures from home equipment like fans and clothes washers. According to the estimates, 1.5 million people are exposed to outdoor noise levels (from a11 sources) of over 75 Ldn, and over 90 million, to levels over 58 Ldn. Over 9 million people are exposed to occupational noise in excess of 80 dB (Leq(24)).

Noise Source Regulation in State and Local Noise Ordinances
February 1, 1975
PDF

This document has been prepared as a planning and reference guide for public administrators of environmental noise control programs. It presents a summary of noise source regulations encompassed in current state laws and local ordinances. Data have been extracted from only those laws and ordinances stipulating specific decibel levels. For the states, the laws summarized are grouped under the headings: motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, land use, and general. For localities, the headings are: motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, intrusive noise sources, stationary noise sources, construction noise, and miscellaneous noise regulations. Because of the many variations among local jurisdictional regulations, no attempt was made to list the specific noise level requirements for recreational vehicles, construction equipment, or land use.

Noise Violations: Guidance Manual for State and Local Prosecutors
PDF

The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance to prosecutors who choose to take legal action against violators of State or local noise control regulations; its intent is to assist prosecutors preparing for and conducting a trial - from drafting the complaint to submitting jury instructions.

Public Education and Information Manual for Noise
June 1, 1980
PDF

This manual is designed to assist with the implementation of a State and/or local noise control public education and information program. The purposes of the program are: a) To increase the awareness and knowledge levels of the general public with respect to the potentially harmful health effects of excessive noise and the effects of noise on their quality of life. b) To foster and promote locally and individually iniciated noise control actions. c) To motivate and generate the support of the general public, public/private agencies and orgaizations, groups and associations for the increased role of State and local governments in noise control and abatement. d) To encourage citizens to participate in the design and implementation of local noise control efforts.

The Public Health Effects of Community Noise
May 1, 1987
PDF

Noise is "any loud, discordant or disagreeable sound" according to Webster's Dictionary (15, p.1). Another definition would be "unwanted sound". Nearly everyone is exposed to noise at some time in their lives, yet the control of noise is not a top priority for most environmental control programs. Community noise is a very widespread problem that can cause serious public health problems. It is well-established that noise can cause hearing loss in the workplace, but what are the other effects of noise outside the workplace? The World Health Organization defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social well being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This paper will examine the evidence for the effects of noise on the cardiovascular system, the performance of tasks, the unborn and children, social behavior and mental health, sleep, speech communication and hearing. The majority of the analysis will be spent on the cardiovascular effects because they are both the most controversial and the most potentially health threatening. It is hoped that this examination of the public health effects of community noise will serve as justification for increased priority and effort in noise control at the community, state and federal levels. In addition to noise control programs, this review should also be used to educate the public on the hazards of community noise exposure and how to protect themselves from it.

Simplified Noise Strategy Manual
July 1, 1981
PDF

This report was prepared by EPA, Office of Noise Abatement and Control, in support of its function to provide technical assistance to communities. It is one of nine which comprises the Community Noise Assessment Manual. The Manual provides a comprehensive and computerized system for assessing the noise problems of a community and then planning a noise control strategy for its abatement. This manual's objectives are the same as those described in the "Strategy Guidelines for Developing a Community Noise Control Program." It provides however a simplified and manual system for planning the noise control strategy for abating a community's noise problems. It assists comunities in determining, in an objective manner, the efficient allocation of funds for reducing the adverse effects of noise in their community. By following a step-by-step written procedure, a noise planner can be assisted in selecting the most cost-effective noise abatement measures and the amount of money which should be spent on each. The primary criterion for optimization is based on economic and acoustical data gathered in the community.

Sound Advice: A Volunteer Noise Counselor's Guide
PDF

In neighborhoods across the country, people are realizing that noise is a serious matter, and that practical steps are available to reduce noise. Mnay communities have been successful in reducing or eliminating noise problems. The success is usually the result of many individuals and groups working together. As a volunteer noise counselor, you can work with other volunteers to control or reduce noise. "Sound Advice" is a noise abatement program which can help to make your community a healthier and better place to live. This handbook will help volunteers interested in acting as noise counselors in a community noise abatement program. It explains the reasons for a noise abatement program, the role of the noise counselor, and some of the techniques a noise counselor can use to reduce neighborhood noise. Also included is an appendix to help locate resource materials and key people in the community.

State and Municipal Non-Occupational Noise Programs
December 31, 1971
PDF

This document is a report on state and municipal government non-occupational noise abatement and control programs prepared from information obtained in response to a questionnaire disseminated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The questionnaire and a letter of inquiry were part of a study to establish the national need for legislation and research concerning noise abatement and control. They were forwarded by the EPA Administrator to the governors of each state (including Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands) and the mayors of the 153 cities having populations, as of 1970, of 100,000 or more. The questionnaire requested information concerning the level and scope of existing and planned noise abatement and control programs. It furthermore solicited opinions on what additional support programs could be developed by the Federal government. Described herein are the replies of 114 mayors and of 41 governors.

Synthesis of Social Surveys on Noise Annoyance
March 1, 1978
PDF

Since noise was first recognized as a serious environmental pollutant, a number of social surveys have been conducted in order to assess the magnitude of the problem and to develop suitable noise ratings, such that, from a measurement of certain physical characteristics of community noise, one could reliably predict the community's subjective response to the noise. Recently, the author has reviewed the data from social surveys concerning the noise of aircraft, street traffic, expressway traffic, and railroads. Going back to the original published data, the various survey noise ratings were translated to day-night average sound level, and an independent judgment was made, where choices were possible, as in which respondents should be counted as "higly annoyed". The results of 11 of these surveys show a remarkable consistency. It is proposed that the average of these curves is the best currently available relationship for predicting community annoyance due to transportation noise of all kinds.

Toward a National Strategy for Noise Control
April 1, 1977
PDF

This document has been developed to continue the dialogue on the overall goals of the noise program, the role of government, the role of consumers, and the role of industry in noise control, along with the selection of specific abatement and enforcement activities for EPA. It establishes a general framework for making decisions on the best strategy that EPA can employ to combat noise pollution. The primary goal of the Agency in the noise pollution area is to promote an environment for all Americans, free from noise that jeopardizes their health or welfare. In order to reach this legislatively mandated objective five specific operational goals have been formulated. These are: (A)To take all practical steps to eliminate hearing loss resulting from noise exposure; (B)To reduce environmental noise exposure to an Ldn value of no more than 75 dB immediately; (C)To reduce noise exposure levels to Ldn 65 dB by vigorous regulatory and planning actions; (D)To strive for an eventual reduction of noise levels to an Ldn of 55 dB; and (E)To encourage and assist other Federal, State and local agencies in the adoption and implementation of long range noise control policies.