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Public Noise: A Quality of Life Issue
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Created: 2003 - Updated: Nov. 18, 2007
 

Web Sites | Related Web Resources | BooksPeriodicals and Newspapers | Government Documents | Local Resources

Noise is a leading quality of life complaint in many communities across the country. What is noise? Noise, simply, is unwanted sound. Noises common to most city and suburban communities include road traffic, garbage trucks, boom boxes and car stereos, lawn mowers, and construction equipment.

Noise pollution can negatively affect a person's health as well as one's tranquility. Problems range from hearing loss and high blood pressure to stress and sleep loss.

Organizations, government, and individuals are raising awareness of noise pollution in their communities and are searching for solutions. Learn more about noise pollution and how your community is addressing the problem.

Web Sites

Noise Free America According to its mission statement, this newly formed group is "devoted to fighting noise pollution – especially from boom cars, leaf blowers, car alarms, and "background" music at stores and restaurants." This site includes "Ask an Expert", model ordinances, action steps, a news archive, and quiet products vendors.

Noise Center of the League for the Hard of Hearing Noise is a leading quality of life complaint in many communities across the country. The Noise Center, an advocate of education and outreach, strives to inform the public of the harmful effects of noise on hearing, health and quality of life. Their Stop That Noise! program is used in over 300 school districts throughout the country and they sponsor International Noise Awareness Day (April 25, 2001). Neighborhood residents will learn useful suggestions for resolving noise problems -- How to Handle a Noise Complaint

Noise Pollution Clearinghouse This national nonprofit organization, whose mission is to create more civil cities and more rural wilderness areas by reducing noise pollution at the source, offers extensive online noise-related resources.

Right to Quiet Society This site offers opinion pieces, technical articles, and news from around the world, links to other organizations and ideas for creative ingenuity in promoting quiet.

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Related Web Resources: Chat Rooms, Forums and Message Boards

 
QuietNet
An unmoderated, informal Internet mailing list for the general discussion of the fight against noise. It is not sponsored by any organization. To subscribe, send an email to the QuietNet administrator, David Staudacher (quiet@igc.org).
 
QuietList
An Internet mailing list and a formal forum for discussion of noise issues. Sponsored by the Right to Quiet Society of Vancouver, BC, Canada, it is primarily a discussion list for "hard news" and information relating to noise activists. To subscribe, send an email to majordomo@igc.org  placing "subscribe quiet-list" in the body of the message.
 
AviationWatch
A forum for the discussion of aviation noise. Activists, professionals, and individuals concerned with this issue are welcome. To subscribe, send an email to either David Staudacher (quiet@igc.org) or Jack Saporito (jsaporito@aol.com).

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Books

Jordan, Cora. Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries and Noise. Berkeley, CA: Nolo Press, 1991. (call number KF 639 .Z9 J67)
Commonsense approach to good neighbor relations using knowledge of the law and basic principles of "treating people decently." Local laws are discussed, as well as effective strategies for dealing with noise issues in the neighborhood.

Kosko, Bart. Noise New York: Viking, 2006. TD892 .K67 2006.This book has many chapters on the effect of noise on people and communities.

Miller, E. Willard. Indoor Pollution: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1998. (call number TD 883 .M52 1998 Reference)

 

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Periodical and Newspaper Articles

The Hartford Public Library offers electronic access to articles through its iConn database service for patrons of Connecticut libraries. Search for articles using words such as noise or noise pollution. You will need your library card to log into the database.

Burgard, Matt. "City's Latest Target: A Noisy Mister Softee." Hartford Courant. April 29, 2002: p. A1+.

Coghlan, Andy. "Dying for some peace and quiet: people everywhere are drowning in a rising tide of unwanted noise, but it is usually dismissed as an inevitable fact of life. Now that could change thanks to ground-breaking research linking noise pollution to premature death and illness." (Special Report)(Report)  New Scientist.  August 25, 2007 v195 i2618 p6(4).

Goines, Lisa, and Louis Hagler. "Noise pollution: a modern plague." Southern Medical Journal.  March 2007 v100 i3 p287(8).
 
"Study Finds Millions of Kids Exposed to Excessive Noise." Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA. August 12, 2001.

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Government Documents

Lang, Leslie. "Environmental Impact on Hearing: Is Anybody Listening?". Environmental Health Perspectives. Volume 102, Issue 11 (November 1994).

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/) estimates that more than 20 million Americans are exposed on a regular basis to industrial or recreational noise that could result in hearing loss. Recreational vehicles, high volume music, lawn-care equipment and power tools are potential sources of noise hazards in residential communities.

Noise Control Act of 1972 Public Law 92-574, October 27, 1972, 86 Statute 1234, (codified in 42 U.S. Code 4901-4918,
Required the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and publish criteria in relation to noise, including the establishment of noise emission standards for products distributed in commerce.

Quiet Communities Act of 1978
Public Law 95-609, November 8, 1978, 92 Statute 3079, (codified in 42 U.S. Code 4901-4918)
This amended the Noise Control Act of 1972, but has the same objectives as the original. Additional requirements include expanded research and educational projects as well as the establishment of the Quiet Communities Program.

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Local Resources: Agencies, Organizations and Information

Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON, Inc)
32 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106 860-249-1416

The Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON, Inc.) promotes a high quality of life for residents. CSS/CON, INC. Neighborhood Standards, (http://www.hplct.org/community-standards.htm) include a restriction against loud noise, penalties, and enforcement information.

Municipal Code [of the] City of Hartford

Chapter 23, Noise states "No person shall make or cause to e made any unreasonable or excessive noise in the city, by whatever means of from whatever source." Excessive noise is defined, with examples of each type, followed by information on enforcement and penalties. The print version of the Municipal Code is available in the Central Library.

General Statutes of Connecticut

Chapter 442. Title 22a (Sec. 22a-67 - Sec.22a-76.) "The policy of the State is to promote an environment free from noise that jeopardizes the health and welfare of the citizens of the state of Connecticut. The purpose of (Chapter 442) is to establish a means for effective coordination or research and activities in noise control, to authorize the establishment of state noise emission standards and the enforcement of such standards, and to provide information to the public respecting noise pollution".

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