Tech Environmental e-Newsletter
May 2005

Noise Nuisance Regulations

If a tree falls in the woods and there is no noise regulation with a decibel limit, does it make a sound?  And more importantly, is that sound a nuisance?  In many areas there are no enforceable sound limits set for new projects.  Therefore, it is sometimes very difficult to prove that a future project will or will not adversely affect a community.

In the Northeastern United States, about half the states have a noise regulation with decibel limits.  The remaining states rely on rather ambiguous nuisance guidelines.  Noise regulations usually have both a broadband limit, like 50 dBA at the residential property line at night, and a series of individual octave band limits.  Even when there is no state regulation, sometimes municipalities have decibel limits in their zoning code. 

Which Northeastern States Do and Do Not have Sound Limits?

How much is too much?  Massachusetts, Maine and New Jersey have numerical noise regulations.  New York only has a noise guideline that must be met if permitting is required.  Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island do not have state noise regulations.  Regardless of state regulations, more and more municipalities are developing their own local noise regulations. 

In Vermont, for example, there is no state regulation.  But, local noise ordinances have been recently enacted in the City of Montpelier and the Town of Williston.  Tech Environmental is currently estimating sound effects and developing noise mitigation alternatives for three projects in Vermont.  Of these projects, one has a local regulation and the other two do not.  For the projects that have noise regulations, the expectation of land owners, neighbors, and developers is fully defined.

Noise Regulation Development

Noise, better described as unwanted sound, is truly a local environmental concern.  It is best discussed and defined on the local level.  Each local area has different background conditions, environmental factors, and human use. For that reason Tech Environmental encourages cities and towns to pass local noise ordinances that fully define the needs of the community and we have helped municipalities develop their own local noise ordinance.  These new local regulations provide a win-win situation for residents and future development, where defendable science can be used to truly assess potential impact or noise mitigation needs.

Peter H. Guldberg, CCM
President, Tech Environmental
PGuldberg@TechEnv.com
Extension 106

LNG Underwater Pipeline And Tanker Noise Impact Study 

Tech Environmental conducted field testing in the Gulf of Mexico to characterize liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker sound sources, covering both in-air and underwater noise effects, for preparation of the noise sections of the draft Environmental Report (ER) for the Northeast Gateway LNG Project off Cape Ann.  The proposed project would include constructing a deepwater port in the middle of Massachusetts Bay to import and regasify LNG which would be delivered through a new 14-mile long, 24-inch diameter pipeline that would connect to the existing HubLine gas pipeline. This project could very well be the answer to many potential terrorist concerns regarding LNG delivery to on-shore ports in the New England area.

A key component of the analysis was accurate sound source data for the LNG tanker, gasification, and piping system at a similar site in the Gulf of Mexico.  A comprehensive noise analysis of the Northeast Gateway project was done, including detailed acoustic modeling for in-air and underwater effects of both tanker docking and tanker gasification/off-loading operations.  Tech Environmental has extensive experience with underwater and long-distance noise impact assessments including studies performed for the Cape Wind Project, a 420 MW wind turbine project in Nantucket Sound, 5 miles south of Cape Cod. 

CONTACT INFO
1601 Trapelo Road

Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

ph. 781-890-2220

fax 781-890-9451

VPMarketing@TechEnv.com

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER
If you have been forwarded this email and wish to receive it regularly then click here to subscribe.