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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Noise Emission Standards

Tightening up noise emission standards for vehicles and other activities is an effective source control measure to reduce traffic noise. For example, the Noise Control Act of 1972 gave authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish noise regulations for motor vehicles and construction equipment.1,2 It set a maximum noise level of 80 adjusted decibels (dBA) for newly manufactured medium and heavy trucks. It also required the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to enforce these standards. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Noise Regulation within the Code of Federal Regulations requires that state highway agencies (SHAs) conduct noise studies for various highway construction projects.3 It also contains noise abatement criteria for land use activities, where SHAs must evaluate noise barriers and other measures to reduce traffic noise. These regulations come from the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970.4

Considering this strategy will help achieve the goal of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Transportation lifecycle phases

This strategy is associated with the following transportation lifecycle phases:

  • Construction
  • End of Life
  • Maintenance
  • Material Selection
  • Operations
  • Policy and Planning
  • Project Development

Who's involved

  • Car owners
  • Federal agencies
  • Local governments
  • Policymakers
  • State governments
  • Transit agencies

Tightening up noise emission standards for vehicles and other activities is an effective source control measure to reduce traffic noise. For example, the Noise Control Act of 1972 gave authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish noise regulations for motor vehicles and construction equipment.1,2 It set a maximum noise level of 80 adjusted decibels (dBA) for newly manufactured medium and heavy trucks. It also required the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to enforce these standards.

In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Noise Regulation within the Code of Federal Regulations requires that state highway agencies (SHAs) conduct noise studies for various highway construction projects.3 It also contains noise abatement criteria for land use activities, where SHAs must evaluate noise barriers and other measures to reduce traffic noise. These regulations come from the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970.4

How it Helps

Establishing strict noise regulations for highway traffic noise at the federal level can reduce urban noise levels from motor vehicles and transportation construction activities. Policy interventions at the state or federal level can effectively protect the safety and health of the public and the surrounding environment.

Implementing

Introducing Policy:
Introducing and implementing stricter noise emission standards through policies at the federal or state level will require broad collaboration among major stakeholders, including government officials, federal agencies, transportation agencies, vehicle manufacturers, and other entities or individuals that can provide input. Policymakers will need reliable information about how traffic noise impacts public health and what approaches or regulations can be put into place to minimize this impact.

Examples

1) National Environmental Policy Act

The federal government was first granted the authority to mitigate harmful environmental impacts such as traffic noise as a result of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970. Federal agencies are required to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of their proposed actions.

https://www.epa.gov/nepa/what-national-environmental-policy-act

1. AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence. Traffic Noise & Transportation. https://environment.transportation.org/education/environmental-topics/traffic-noise/traffic-noise-overview/
2. Oeler. Controlling Highway Noise. https://www.oeler.com/highway-noise/
3. Rochat, J. L. (2016). Highway Traffic Noise. Acoustics Today, 124, 38-47. https://acousticstoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Highway-Noise.pdf
4. USDOT Federal Highway Administration. (2017). Highway Traffic Noise Analysis and Abatement Policy and Guidance. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/regulations_and_guidance/polguide/polguide01.cfm