Quiet Communities Act of 2016

Summary: Quiet Communities Act of 2016 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control; and (2) arrange for independent scientists who have expertise in noise measurements, noise effects, and noise abatement techniques to carry out a study of airport noise. The Quiet Communities Program must include: (1) establishing and implementing training programs on the use of noise abatement equipment, and (2) implementing noise abatement plans.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Quiet Communities Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that:
            (1) Approximately 28,000,000 people of the United States 
        are afflicted with hearing loss, and it has been estimated that 
        10,000,000 of these hearing impairments are at least partially 
        attributable to damage from exposure to noise.
            (2) For millions of people of the United States, noise from 
        aircraft, vehicular traffic, and a variety of other sources is 
        a constant source of torment. Millions of people of the United 
        States are exposed to noise levels that can lead to sleep loss, 
        psychological and physiological damage, and work disruption.
            (3) Chronic exposure to noise has been linked to an 
        increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, learning deficits 
        in children, stress, and a diminished quality of life.
            (4) Sleep deprivation and task interruptions caused by 
        excessive noise can result in untold costs to society through 
        diminished worker productivity.
            (5) Under 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 (Public Law 95-609; 92 Stat. 
        3079), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
        established an Office of Noise Abatement and Control. Before 
        the termination of the Office, the duties of the Office 
        included--
                    (A) the promulgation of noise emission standards;
                    (B) the enforcement of relevant product labeling 
                requirements;
                    (C) the facilitation of the development of low 
                emission products;
                    (D) the coordination of Federal noise reduction 
                programs;
                    (E) the provision of assistance to State and local 
                abatement efforts; and
                    (F) the promotion of noise education and research.
            (6) Funding for the Office was terminated in 1982 and no 
        funds have been provided since that year.
            (7) Noise abatement programs throughout the United States 
        lie dormant because--
                    (A) funding for the enforcement of regulations 
                promulgated under the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 
                U.S.C. 4901 et seq.) was terminated, although the 
                Administrator remains legally responsible for the 
                enforcement of the regulations; and
                    (B) the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 
                et seq.) prohibits State and local governments from 
                regulating noise sources in many situations.
            (8) As population growth and air and vehicular traffic 
        continue to increase, noise pollution is likely to become an 
        even greater problem in the future. The health and welfare of 
        the people of the United States demands that the Administrator, 
        as the head of the lead Federal agency for the protection of 
        public health and welfare, once again assume a role in 
        combating noise pollution.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Office.--The term ``Office'' means the Office of Noise 
        Abatement and Control.

SEC. 4. REESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE.

    (a) Reestablishment.--The Administrator shall reestablish within 
the Environmental Protection Agency the Office.
    (b) Duties.--The Office shall--
            (1) promote the development of effective State and local 
        noise control programs by providing States with technical 
        assistance and grants to develop the programs, including the 
        purchase of equipment for local communities;
            (2) carry out a national noise control research program to 
        assess the impacts of noise from varied noise sources on mental 
        and physical health;
            (3) carry 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) develop and disseminate information and educational 
        materials about the mental and physical effects of noise and 
        the most effective means for noise control to the public 
        through the use of materials for school curricula, volunteer 
        organizations, radio and television programs, publications, and 
        other means, as determined by the Administrator;
            (5) develop educational and training materials and 
        programs, including national and regional workshops, to support 
        State and local noise abatement and control programs;
            (6) establish regional technical assistance centers which 
        use the capabilities of university and private organizations to 
        assist State and local noise control programs;
            (7) assess of the effectiveness of the Noise Control Act of 
        1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.); and
            (8) carry out other activities, as determined by the 
        Administrator.
    (c) Preferred Approaches.--In carrying out duties described in 
subsection (b), the Office shall emphasize noise abatement approaches 
that rely on--
            (1) local and State activities;
            (2) market incentives; and
            (3) coordination with other public and private agencies.
    (d) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall enter into one or 
        more contracts or other agreements with independent scientists 
        who have expertise in noise measurements, noise effects, and 
        noise abatement techniques to carry out a study of airport 
        noise.
            (2) Contents.--The study described in paragraph (1) shall 
        examine--
                    (A) the selection of noise measurement 
                methodologies by the Federal Aviation Administration;
                    (B) the threshold of noise at which humans 
                experience health impacts; and
                    (C) the effectiveness of noise abatement programs 
                at airports throughout the United States.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to 
        Congress a report that describes--
                    (A) the results of the study described in paragraph 
                (1); and
                    (B) specific recommendations for new measures to 
                mitigate the impact of aircraft noise on communities 
                located near airports.
            (4) Funding.--The study described in paragraph (1) shall be 
        carried out with funds made available to the Office under 
        section 6.

SEC. 5. QUIET COMMUNITIES PROGRAM GRANTS.

    Section 14(c)(1) of the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 
4913(c)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) establishing and implementing training 
                programs on the use of noise abatement equipment; and
                    ``(F) implementing noise abatement plans;''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$21,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.