Quiet Communities Act of 2023
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to reestablish an Office of Noise Abatement and Control to promote the development of local noise control programs and carry out related duties.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4178 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4178
To reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control in the
Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2023
Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Chu,
Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Lee of
California, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Quigley,
Mr. Raskin, Ms. Norton, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control in the
Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Quiet Communities Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) approximately 28,000,000 individuals in the United
States are afflicted with some hearing impairment, and it has
been estimated that 10,000,000 of those impairments are at
least partially attributable to damage from exposure to noise;
(2) for millions of individuals in the United States, noise
from aircraft, vehicular traffic, and a variety of other
sources is a constant source of torment;
(3) millions of individuals in the United States are
exposed to noise levels that can lead to sleep loss,
psychological and physiological damage, and work disruption;
(4) chronic exposure to noise has been linked to increased
risk of cardiovascular disorders, learning deficits in
children, stress, and diminished quality of life;
(5) excessive noise leading to sleep deprivation and task
interruptions can result in untold costs to society as a result
of diminished worker productivity;
(6) pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.),
the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.), and the
Quiet Communities Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 4901 note; Public Law
95-609; 92 Stat. 3079), the Environmental Protection Agency
established and maintained an Office of Noise Abatement and
Control, which has not received funding since 1982;
(7) responsibilities of the Office of Noise Abatement and
Control included promulgating noise emission standards,
requiring product labeling, facilitating the development of
low-noise-emission products, coordinating Federal noise
reduction programs, assisting State and local noise abatement
efforts, and promoting noise education and research;
(8) because the Environmental Protection Agency remains
legally responsible for enforcing regulations issued under the
Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.), even though
funding for the activities of the Office of Noise Abatement and
Control described in paragraph (7) was terminated, and because
that Act prohibits State and local governments from regulating
noise sources in many situations, noise abatement programs
across the United States lie dormant; and
(9) as population growth and air and vehicular traffic
continue to increase, noise pollution is likely to become an
even greater problem in the future, and the health and welfare
of individuals in the United States demands that the
Environmental Protection Agency, the lead Federal agency for
the protection of public health and welfare, once again assume
a role in combating noise pollution.
SEC. 3. REESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF NOISE ABATEMENT AND CONTROL.
(a) Reestablishment.--The Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the
``Administrator'') shall reestablish within the Environmental
Protection Agency an Office of Noise Abatement and Control (referred to
in this section as the ``Office'').
(b) Duties.--The responsibilities of the Office shall include--
(1) promoting the development of effective State and local
noise control programs by providing States with technical
assistance and grants to develop those programs, including the
purchasing of equipment for local communities;
(2) carrying out a national noise control research program
to assess the impacts of noise from varied noise sources on
mental and physical health;
(3) carrying out a national noise environmental assessment
program--
(A) to identify trends in noise exposure and
response, ambient levels, and compliance data; and
(B) to determine the effectiveness of noise
abatement actions, including actions for areas around
major transportation facilities (such as highways,
railroad facilities, and airports);
(4) developing and disseminating to the public information
and educational materials relating to the mental and physical
effects of noise and the most effective means for noise control
through the use of materials for school curricula, volunteer
organizations, radio and television programs, publications, and
other means;
(5) developing educational and training materials and
programs, including national and regional workshops, to support
State and local noise abatement and control programs;
(6) establishing regional technical assistance centers to
use the capabilities of institutions of higher education and
private organizations to assist State and local noise control
programs; and
(7) undertaking an assessment of the effectiveness of the
Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.).
(c) Preferred Approaches.--In carrying out the duties of the Office
under subsection (b), the Office shall emphasize noise abatement
approaches that rely on local and State activities, market incentives,
and coordination with other public and private agencies.
(d) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall carry out a study
of aircraft noise and the effects of that noise on surrounding
communities.
(2) Contracts and other agreements.--The Administrator
shall enter into contracts or other agreements with independent
scientists with expertise in noise measurements, noise effects,
and noise abatement techniques to conduct the study under
paragraph (1).
(3) Contents.--The study under paragraph (1) shall
examine--
(A) the selection of noise measurement
methodologies by the Federal Aviation Administration;
(B) the threshold of aircraft noise at which health
impacts are felt; and
(C) the effectiveness of aircraft noise abatement
programs at airports around the United States.
(4) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
submit to Congress a report on the results of the study
conducted under paragraph (1).
(B) Requirements.--The report submitted under
subparagraph (A) shall include specific recommendations
on new measures that can be implemented to mitigate the
impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.
(e) Conforming Amendment.--The Noise Pollution and Abatement Act of
1970 (Public Law 91-604; 84 Stat. 1709) is repealed.
SEC. 4. GRANTS UNDER QUIET COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
Section 14 of the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4913) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by
striking ``but not limited to'';
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking ``sections 6, 7,
and 8 of this Act'' and inserting ``section 6 or 8 of
this Act, or section 44715 of title 49, United States
Code''; and
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and
indenting appropriately;
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by
striking ``but not be limited to'' and inserting ``in
accordance with the Federal authority pursuant to this
Act to regulate sources of noise in interstate
commerce'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (C) by striking
``and,'' at the end;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (A)
through (D) as clauses (i) through (iv),
respectively, and indenting appropriately; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) establishing and implementing
training programs on use of noise abatement
equipment; and
``(vi) implementing noise abatement
plans;'';
(C) by striking the undesignated matter following
paragraph (5); and
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and
indenting appropriately; and
(3) by redesignating subsections (a) through (g) as
paragraphs (1) through (7), respectively, and indenting
appropriately.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated for the Office of Noise
Abatement and Control reestablished under section 3(a) $25,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.
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