I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2702
To reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control in the
Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 4, 1999
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mrs. MORELLA, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Ms. NORTON, Mr.
SERRANO, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. KILPATRICK,
Mr. ROTHMAN, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. MAR-
TINEZ, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. WEINER, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia,
Ms. LEE, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. VENTO, and Mr. KUCINICH)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Quiet Communities
Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that:
(1) Approximately 28,000,000 Americans are
afflicted with some hearing loss and it has been esti-
mated that 10,000,000 of these impairments are at
least partially attributable to damage from exposure
to noise.
(2) For millions of Americans, noise from air-
craft, vehicular traffic, and a variety of other
sources is a constant source of torment. Millions of
Americans 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 increased risk of cardiovascular disorders, learn-
ing deficits in children, stress, and diminished qual-
ity of life.
(4) Excessive noise leading to sleep deprivation
and task interruptions can result in untold costs on
society in diminished worker productivity.
(5) Pursuant to authorities granted under the
Clean Air Act of 1970, the Noise Control Act of
1972, and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978, the
Environmental Protection Agency established an Of-
fice of Noise Abatement and Control. Its responsibil-
ities included promulgating noise emission stand-
ards, requiring product labeling, facilitating the de-
velopment of low emission products, coordinating
Federal noise reduction programs, assisting State
and local abatement efforts, and promoting noise
education and research. However, funding for the
Office of Noise Abatement and Control was termi-
nated in 1982 and no funds have been provided
since.
(6) Because the Environmental Protection
Agency remains legally responsible for enforcing reg-
ulations issued under the Noise Control Act of 1972
even though funding for these activities were termi-
nated, and because the Noise Control Act of 1972
prohibits State and local governments from regu-
lating noise sources in many situations, noise abate-
ment programs across the country lie dormant.
(7) 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 our citizens demands that
the Environmental Protection Agency, the lead Fed-
eral 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 ABATE-
MENT AND CONTROL.
(a) REESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency shall reestablish within
the Environmental Protection Agency an Office of Noise
Abatement and Control.
(b) DUTIES.—The responsibilities of the Office in-
clude the following:
(1) To promote the development of effective
State and local noise control programs by providing
States with technical assistance and grants to de-
velop the programs, including the purchase of equip-
ment for local communities.
(2) To carry out a national noise control re-
search program to assess the impacts of noise from
varied noise sources on mental and physical health.
(3) To carry out a national noise environmental
assessment program to identify trends in noise expo-
sure and response, ambient levels, and compliance
data and to determine the effectiveness of noise
abatement actions, including actions for areas
around major transportation facilities (such as high-
ways, railroad facilities, and airports).
(4) To develop and disseminate information and
educational materials to the public on 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) To develop educational and training mate-
rials and programs, including national and regional
workshops, to support State and local noise abate-
ment and control programs.
(6) To establish regional technical assistance
centers which use the capabilities of university and
private organizations to assist State and local noise
control programs.
(7) To undertake an assessment of the effec-
tiveness of the Noise Control Act of 1972.
(c) PREFERRED APPROACHES.—In carrying out its
duties under this section, the Office shall emphasize noise
abatement approaches that rely on local and State activi-
ties, market incentives, and coordination with other public
and private agencies.
(d) STUDY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Using funds made available
to the Office, the Administrator shall carry out a
study of airport noise. The Administrator shall carry
out the study by entering into contracts or other
agreements with independent scientists with exper-
tise in noise measurements, noise effects, and noise
abatement techniques to conduct the study.
(2) CONTENTS.—The study shall examine the
selection of noise measurement methodologies by the
Federal Aviation Administration, the threshold of
noise at which health impacts are felt, and the effec-
tiveness of noise abatement programs at airports
around the Nation.
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator
shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of
the study, together with specific recommendations
on new measures that can be implemented to miti-
gate the impact of aircraft noise on surrounding
communities.
SEC. 4. GRANTS UNDER QUIET COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
Section 14(c)(1) of the Noise Control Act of 1972
(42 U.S.C. 4913(c)(1)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and,’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (C); and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(E) establishing and implementing train-
ing programs on use of noise abatement equip-
ment; and
‘‘(F) 
implementing 
noise 
abatement
plans;’’.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated for each of
fiscal years 2000 through 2004 $21,000,000 for activities
of the Office of Noise Abatement and Control reestab-
lished under section 3.
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