Quiet Communities Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4892 | Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace (D-NY)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Quiet Communities Act of 2021
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, carry out research, and develop and disseminate educational materials, among other duties.

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 2021''.

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 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) $21,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
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