1990: Sep
1994: Jul Sep
1996: Jun Jul Sep Oct Nov Dec
1997: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1998: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
1999: Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2000: Jan Feb Mar Apr
California Town Considers Leaf Blower Ordinance. The Los Angeles Times reports that La Palma, California's City Council has tentatively approved a noise ordinance to restrict operating noise and time for leaf blowers. Full approval would come with another positive vote on April 15, and enforcement would begin a month later.
City and Airport Authority Should Seek Compromise in Burbank Airport Feud. The Los Angeles Times prints an editorial that urges Burbank and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority to compromise on an ongoing disagreement over an expanded terminal proposal for Burbank Airport. Last week Burbank won confirmation of its right to stop any unwanted plans in federal court. The airport authority will appeal the decision.
Seattle Congressman Urges That Schools Be Included on Noise Impact Committee. Business Wire reports that U.S. Representative Adam Smith has written a letter urging the Port of Seattle (Washington) to reconsider its decision to exclude school districts from the committee that advises the port on how to deal appropriately with noise impacts from Sea-Tac International Airport.
Federal Judge Overturns Part of Louisiana City Noise Ordinance. The Advocate reports that a federal judge Monday overturned part of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana city-parish ordinance limiting noise in public, saying the local law violated the constitutional rights of a street preacher who sought to use a bullhorn.
Residents Oppose Wood Mulching Facility in New York Town. The Buffalo News reports that a Alden (New York) Town Board public hearing on a proposed special permit for a wood chip mulching and storage facility in a rural/agricultural zone drew mostly opposition from residents.
Texas Airport Okays Environmental Studies on Runway Extensions, Decides to Sue Noise Monitoring Contractor. The publication Airports reports that the Dallas/Fort Worth (Texas) International Airport Board last week approved a contract for environmental assessments on three runway extensions, and accepted FAA grants for land acquisition and mitigation work on a future runway. The Board also approved a contract with a new firm to complete a permanent noise monitoring system, and voted to sue its former contractor.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Commission Considers Plan to Require Homeowners to Correct Air Quality Problems Before Homes Are Insulated. The Star Tribune reports that the Planning and Environment Committee of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which oversees the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, will consider today a plan recommended by staff to require homeowners to pay for improvements to the air quality systems in their homes before insulation is installed to reduce jet noise. If the committee approves the recommendations, they will be taken up by the full commission on April 21.
Island of Bali Gets Ready for Annual Religious Day of Silence. Asia Pulse reports that the Indonesian tourist island of Bali celebrates the Nyepi holiday tomorrow -- the annual Hindu day of silence. Everyone on Bali is forbidden from leaving their homes or hotels, from making noise, and from using electricity for 26 hours, and local religious police patrol the island to make sure the rules are enforced.
California City Bans Street Vendors, Citing Noise and Other Health Issues. The Los Angeles Times reports that the City Council of Costa Mesa, California has banned pushcart vendors over concerns about non-compliance with health codes, unauthorized vendors, and the noise and trash that they produce and leave behind.
California County Board of Supervisors Delays Action on Residential Development Near El Toro Air Station. The Los Angeles Times reports that the land six miles to the south of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station -- which has been closed to development for twenty years due to noise from aircraft -- was due to be made re-eligible for development. The Orange County, California Board of Supervisors delayed that expected action on Tuesday.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Commission Committee Approves Regulations to Ensure Healthy Indoor Air After Homes Are Insulated Against Noise. The Star Tribune reports that the planning and environment committee of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), the agency which oversees the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Minnesota) International Airport, approved changes Tuesday in its noise insulation program to ensure that homes have healthy indoor air after they are insulated. The changes will require homeowners to add exhaust fans or take other corrective measures before insulation is installed if their homes have air quality problems. The proposed changes to the program will go to the full commission for approval on April 21.
Alaska Residents Speak Out For and Against Proposed Noise Ordinance. The Anchorage Daily News reports that more than 80 people attended a hearing at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (Alaska) Assembly chambers Tuesday about a proposed noise ordinance that would cover the more populated center. About two-thirds of the citizens who testified spoke against the proposed ordinance.
Construction Noise from Road Widening Project Bothers Some Residents in Tulsa. The Tulsa World reports that the construction project to widen the 71st Street corridor in Tulsa, Oklahoma is causing noise and traffic problems for many residents.
Louisiana District Considers Noise Ordinance to Control Loud Music With Profanity. The Times-Picayune reports that the St. John the Baptist Parish (Louisiana) Council is considering changing the parish's noise ordinance in an attempt to control loud music that contains obscenities. No action was taken at a Tuesday Council meeting, but Assistant District Attorney Charles Lorio agreed to study the council's options in revising the noise ordinance.
Writer Reviews New Noise-Reduction Headphones on Airplane. The Buffalo News printed a review of the new noise-canceling stereo headphones (QZ/2000), manufactured by Koss Corporation. The stereophones were tested on an airplane, and the writer reported good results from the equipment.
Canadian Officials Consider Placing Highway Through a Vancouver Park Underground. The Vancouver Sun reports that Canadian officials are considering placing a highway that runs through Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia underground to lower noise levels and reduce air pollution in the park.
Jet Flights Rerouted in Newark to Reduce Noise. The Record reports that flight paths of airplanes leaving the Newark (New Jersey) International Airport are being altered to reduce noise over parts of New Jersey. This is the second time since last year that flight paths have been altered in an attempt to reduce noise. Some local officials remain skeptical that the new flight paths will make a difference.
New Zealand Airport Officials Want New Housing Restricted Around Airport. The Southland Times reports that officials at the Invercargill Airport in Invercargill, New Zealand believe it will be harder for the airport to expand its international flights unless new housing is restricted in Otatara. Officials of the airport's management company Airport Ltd. said the draft district plan, which governs the city for the next 10 years, deals with airport planning too loosely. They urged city councillors to ban further residential development under the western flight path in Otatara so the runway could eventually be extended for trans-Tasman flights. The airport company also asked that noise mitigation measures, such as insulation and double-glazing, be imposed on buildings under the eastern flight path.
California Planning Commission Gives Residents 90 Days to Quiet Hens in Their Backyard. The Los Angeles Times reports that the planning commission in Thousand Oaks, California have warned that if two noisy hens don't quiet down in three months -- to ease neighbors complaints -- further action will be taken.
Reconsultation Of Noise Limits At International Airports Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. M2 Presswire reports that Mr. Justice Keene has made a consent order in the cases for judicial review brought by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) against the Department of Transport's decision on noise limits and monitoring effciency.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Expansion Increases Jet Traffic Over Dania Community. The Sun-Sentinel reports that as part of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport's $1.2 billion expansion, the mile-long south runway, next to the Dania community, is to be extended to 9,000 feet within the next five to seven years. The paper reports that more than 200 large jets will eventually use the runway every day.
Goffstown, New Hampshire Holds Public Hearings In Hopes Of Controlling Residential And Car Stereo Noise Pollution. The Union Leader reports Town Prosecutor Kerry Steckowych wrote noise prevention ordinances in response to complaints from citizens. The two most significant complaints were against the bass frequency from subwoofer speakers in cars and the disturbance of residential parties, according to Stechowych. The complaints were submitted to Town Administrator John Scruton, who submitted them to the police department. The town of Goffstown plans to discuss the proposed ordinances at a public hearing.
Hanover, Virginia Residents Angry Over Airport Expansion. The conflict over the expansion of the Hanover Airport was ignited by a letter sent to over 4,000 residents informing them of an ordinance that would require them to notify perspective buyers of potential airport noise, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.
Knoxville Community Meeting Reinforces Noise Ordinances. Noise problems from patio bars, boom boxes and other sources will be the topic of discussion at a meeting being sponsored by the Council of Involved Neighborhoods (COIN), Councilman Nick Pavlis and the Knoxville Police Department, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports.
Noise Pollution. The following editorial appeared in the Durham, N.C. Herald Sun:
British University Studies Sound to Fight Noise Problems. M2 Presswire reports in a press release that for several years, researchers at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at Great Britain's University of Southampton have been investigating the potential of active sound control in reducing the effect of noise transmitted from one room to another in buildings. The press release says that active sound control is the cancellation of an unwanted sound wave with another soundwave, usually generated by a loudspeaker. The press release says that the scientists' work on active sound control is one of the features of an exhibition opening at the Science Museum in London on Thursday, April 24, titled "Noise?" The exhibition runs until July 27, and coincides with both International Noise Awareness Day on April 30, and National Noise Awareness Day on July 23.
Noise Museum Exhibition Opens in London. M2 Presswire reports in a press release that there will be an exhibition titled "Noise?" will open at the Science Museum in London on April 24, and will run till July 27. One of the features of the exhibition is research currently underway at the University of Southampton on active sound control, which is cancellation of an unwanted sound wave with another sound wave generated by a loudspeaker. The press release says that the exhibition is aimed at a general and family audience and explores many other interesting areas of noise research, including the production of quieter road surfaces and noise tags to monitor an individual's exposure to noise levels.
Salesman Denied Compensation For Tinnitus. The Illinois Workers' Compensation Law Bulletin reports that a salesperson who suffered acoustic trauma due to a low flying airplane while he was on a sales call, did not sustain an injury considered to be compensable.
Singaporeans Modify Motorcycles to Sound More Powerful, But Pass Annual Noise Inspections. The Singapore Straits Times reports that motorcycles that have been modified to make more noise are an increasing problem in Singapore. Last year, 418 motorcyclists were booked for modifying their exhaust systems illegally, the article reports. Motorcycle shops commonly make the modifications for the bikers. Meanwhile, motorcycle owners modify their bikes back to their original, quieter condition each year when the bikes must pass inspection.
Technology May Solve Chicago, O'Hare Expansion Issue. According to a study by United Airlines, technological and procedural changes at O'Hare International Airport could increase the airports flight capacity by 15% to 20%, Crain's Chicago Business reports. The changes could eliminate the need for a new runway and a third regional airport.
University of Southampton Researchers Fight Noise With Soundwaves. 'Noise?', an exhibition being held at the Science Museum in London, will feature sound cancellation technologies from the University of Southampton's Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the M2 Presswire reports.
35-Year-Old Knoxville Noise Ordinance May Receive Update. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that a 35-year-old noise ordinance, criticized by residents for being vague and inadequate to current needs, may soon be changed.
Dayton, Ohio Passes Legislation on Car Stereo Noise. Legislation proposed by Dayton Representative Tom Roberts would make it a misdemeanor to play a car stereo too loudly, the Dayton Daily News reports.
New Schools in Montgomery, Alabama Will Be in Airport Noise Zone. Two new Montgomery schools are being built within the noise zone of the city's Municipal Airport at Dannelly Field, the Montgomery Advertiser reports.
Residents Around LAX Will Be Soundproofed. Mayor Richard Riordan announced the creation of a new Airport Residential Soundproofing Bureau, with a budget of $12 million, that will soundproof 8,900 homes around Los Angeles International Airport over the next 7 years, the Daily News of Los Angeles reports.
Soundproofing Plan Accelerated for Homes Around LAX. The Los Angeles Times says that a plan to soundproof residences near Los Angeles International Airport, which will be paid for by the city, will happen in nearly half of the originally projected 15 years.
Airport Noise Won't Stop Las Vegas Housing Project. The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that the North Las Vegas City Council approved a $100 million housing project despite concerns over airport noise raised by both residents and airport officials.
East Hungtington, Pennsylvania Residents Win Stay of Construction Project. Residents of East Huntingdon, Pennsylvania have won a temporary victory against Lomac Petroleum, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The residents are trying to halt construction of a natural-gas pumping station that would create "a life-changing noise," one resident said.
Lambert Field (St. Louis) Officials Ignore Community Complaints. St. Charles, Missouri residents are circulating a petition to force its county council and Lambert Field officials to create a airport noise management program, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Technological Solutions to Noise. ABC World News This Morning correspondent Jack Smith reports on two new technologies designed to reduce noise, one for the listener, one for the producer.
The European Commission Outlines Airport Equity Proposal. The 1997 RAPID reports that the European Commission agreed on a proposal that would create a framework to ensure fair and equitable market conditions for airports and airlines within the EC. The program includes a proposal for noise regulations.
Aircraft and Construction Noise On Rise at Calgary Airport. The Calgary Herald reports expected increases in airport noise due to increased air traffic and construction projects at the Calgary Airport.
Alpharetta, Georgia Fedex Packaging Facility Raises Residential Noise Concerns. The Atlanta Journal reports that the Alpharetta City Council is delaying approval of a proposed 88,000-square-foot Federal Express office and distribution center while it considers the noise concerns of area residents.
Hanover, Virginia Airport Expansion Has Residents Concerned Over Noise. The Hanover County Board of Supervisors voted to move ahead with plans to expand Hanover County Airport, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports. Residents are concerned about the increased noise the expansion may bring.
International Noise Awareness Day in Toronto. Annette Feige and Eric Greenspoon, members of the Citizens Coalition Against Noise, said that daily life is getting noisier, the Toronto Star reports. They are trying to bring national attention to the noise issue.
Jefferson Parish Parish Council Passes Airboat Noise Regulation. A new ordinance limiting airboat noise in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, has been passed by the Parish Council, The Times-Picayune reports. One boat owner plans to challenge the new rules.
Noise Limits for Automobiles May Have Little Effect. The Japan Economic Newswire reports that limitations proposed by the Environment Agency to impose decibel limits on cars may have little noticeable impact on noise levels.
Toronto Citizens Coalition Working to Stop Noise. The Toronto Star reports that Eric Greenspoon and Annette Feige are leading activists in Toronto's Citizens Coalition Against Noise. The activists are trying to start a noise pollution revolution in Canada, the article says. They work to raise awareness about noise pollution, and they will be handing out earplugs and informational material next Wednesday on International Noise Awareness Day.
Airport Noise in New Orleans Louder than Average. The Times-Picayune reports that only 52 percent of the jets flying into Kenner airport meet Federally mandated Stage 3 noise requirements. Members of the New Orleans International Airport's noise abatement committee are concerned about the numbers.
Life Is Getting Noisier, As Measured By The Houston Chronicle. The Houston Chronicle reports that it conducted its own noise level study around Houston, finding many places noisier than 85 decibels. A decibel reading higher than 85 decibels can cause hearing damage to the human ear, depending upon the length of exposure time. The Noise Center, a national organization that promotes noise awareness and hearing conservation, is sponsoring the second annual International Noise Awareness Day The day aims to get the world to observe a minute of silence at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Long Island, New York Expressway Sound Barriers Visually Displeasing. The New York Times reports that the beauty that brought many people to Long Island is being marred by sound barrier walls that have risen along the expressway.
Long Island Sound, Connecticut Residents Concerned with Oyster Boat Noise. The New York Times reports that residents along the waterfront of Long Island Sound are battling with Oyster harvesters over the proprietary rights to the water just offshore from residential neighborhoods.
New York City Helicoptors Increase In Noise Level. The New York Daily News reports community residents are disturbed daily by the increase of tourist, weather, commuter, television news, and law enforcement helicopter flight. The Helicopter Noise Coalition of New York hopes to create a helicopter "no fly" zone across the five boroughs, excepting emergency flights. The coalition aims to eliminate heliports from residential areas and to enforce regulation on the industry. Meanwhile there is a helicopter repair and storage operation at The Brooklyn Navy Yard proposed to be built and the Giuliani administration is supporting plans for a super heliport on Pier 76.
Electronical Devices Get Louder, May Even Cause "Beep Phobia". The Nikkei Weekly reports there is a rising number of complaints regarding the electronic tones emitted from devices such as electronic games and pocket pagers. Mobile phone use is spreading from businesspeople to students, however the phone users themselves may themselves be susceptible to a form of "beep phobia", researchers show.
Noisy New York Car Alarms May Become Illegal To Sell Or Buy. Newsday reports that City Councilmen Anthony Weiner (Brooklyn) and A. Gifford Miller (Manhattan) have proposed a bill that would declare the sale or installation of noisy car alarms in the city to be illegal. Under the new legislation, cars that are built with alarms in the factory would still be permitted however. Miller states he wishes he could ban all audible alarms, but that would prove an unconstitutional action against interstate commerce. If the law is passed, first violations by installers or sellers will cost them $500 to $1,000, second violations will cost $1,000 to $2,500, and subsequent violations up to $5,000.
Researchers Work on Furniture That Cancels Out Neighborhood Noise. The Singapore Straits Times reports that an article in the Sunday Times says researchers are now applying the latest theories on active sound control to armchairs and beds, which they hope will be able to shut out noise from loud neighbors.
Technology Fights Noise With... More Noise. Singapore Straights Times reports that according to the London Sunday Times, that scientists and researchers are utilizing the latest theories on sound waves to produce armchairs and beds that can quiet outside noise. Speakers are incorporated within the furniture to emit an opposing tone which neutralizes the outside noise. The speakers simultaneously play back mirror images of outside noises, canceling out the outside noises. This active sound control has been successfully used in cars, aircraft and ventilation fans.
Teen Says Boise's New Noise Ordinance Is Unfair. The Idaho Statesman printed the following editorial from Janelle Wilson, a teenager in Boise, Idaho, regarding the city's new noise ordinance:
Bronz Community Discusses The Quiet. The New York Daily News reports the second International Noise Awareness Day will be honored at a town hall meeting. Bronx residents will have the chance to state their opinion about local noise pollution. The Bronx Campaign for Peace and Quiet, a non-profit borough group that campaigns against noise pollution, will be attending the meeting. The group promotes public awareness and supports enforcing noise ordinances. Also involved in the meeting are psychiatrists and city officials.
Chicago Mayor Makes Effort To Quiet The Suburbs Affected By International Airport. The Chicago Tribune reports that the complaints of suburban neighborhoods against O'Hare International Airport have culminated into an important political issue by suburban officials over the past two decades. Statewide political candidates have been supporting the fight against noise pollution since 1990, and Chicago and the airlines have been unsuccessful in their bid to build another runway.
European Commission Adopts New Airport Charges Principles. The publication Airports reports that the European Commission last week adopted a proposal to create a new legislative framework for airport charges throughout the European Union. The proposal seeks to ensure that airport charges are cost-related, transparent, and do not discriminate between domestic and intra-EU air services. The proposal must now be agreed to by the Council of 15 EU Transport Ministers.
European Group Wants European Union To Set New Noise Rules For Airports. The publication Airports reports that the European Center of Enterprises with Public Participation (CEEP), the union of public-owned enterprises in Brussels, Belgium, has said that the European Union should take a leading role in combating airport noise levels by issuing new rules on land-use planning for its 15 member states and tighter noise restrictions for aircraft. The CEEP's comments came in response to the European Commission's November 1996 "green paper" on noise pollution, the article says.
FAA Notices in the Federal Register. The publication Airports printed the following Federal Aviation Administration notices in the Federal Register regarding noise issues:
Representative Lowey Speaks To New York School About Quiet Communities Act. The New York Daily News reports that Rep. Nita Lowey id proposing a bill, the Quiet Communities Act of 1997, that would provide the Environmental Protection Agency with an additional $44 million over the next five years to reopen the noise abatement office that was closed in 1981. Under this bill, the Noise Abatement and Control Office would oversee federal noise abatement activities and noise standards, promote research and education, and conduct airport noise studies examining the Federal Aviation Administration's noise measurement techniques.
Columbian Airport Says New Runway Will Reduce Noise. Flight International reports that the Colombian Aeronautica Civil (civil-aviation authority) says the addition of a runway to the Eldorado International Airport in Bogota will reduce noise dramatically, even though the runway will increase air-transport movement capacity by 70%. The new runway, which will be parallel to the current runway, will allow approaches and departures to occur simultaneously over the open countryside to the northwest, instead of toward the city to the southeast, the article says. Officials say that this will ensure that few local residents will be affected by aircraft noise.
Houston Neighborhoods And Representatives Push For Sound Barrier. The Houston Chronicle reports that if a new bill is approved by House members, the state will build a sound barrier to protect neighborhoods from Loop 610 traffic. The Department of Transportation would be forced to build the barrier between the Loop and the Pleasantville and Shepherd Forest subdivisions. The Department of Transportation builds sound barriers along new or expanded highways, but older neighborhoods like the two mentioned above get ignored while noise levels increase around them. If the bill is approved it will go to the Senate.
Massachusetts Living Facility Air Conditioning System Creating Noise Pollution Lawsuit. Gazette reports that the air conditioning system of Cortland House, a 60-unit living facility, has been exceeding city noise limits since it was built last May. The neighbors that immediately complained had Health Director Robert P. Carlson order the facility's owner, Max E. Jordan, to fix the problem. Cortland House Officials claim the noise problem has since been fixed, but city officials disagree and are considering taking legal action.
North Carolina Airport Expansion Plan Goes Forward. The Herald reports that the Charlotte (North Carolina) City Council this week approved an expansion plan for the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport that would add a fourth runway and extend an existing runway. The plans are expected to add overseas flights to the airport. Proponents of the expansion project, however, claim that noise problems likely will be less after the new runway is added due to noise reduction technology in aircraft and the city's ongoing noise abatement plan.
Suburban Consumerism Brings Noisy Trucks To Quiet Neighborhoods. NBC News reports that the federal government states the number of trucks driving through the streets of cities and towns has increased twice as fast as the number of trucks using interstate highways over the past ten years. The economic growth of superstores and malls in suburban neighborhoods, and the move of manufacturing plants and distribution centers into smaller neighborhoods, are creating noise pollution and costing local governments $3.3 billion in street repair. 80% of what consumers want, including food and clothing, are brought by truck.
Aircraft Noise
Amplified Noise
Effects on Wildlife/Animals
Construction Noise
Firing Ranges
Health Effects
Home Equipment and Appliances
Industrial/Manufacturing
International News
Environmental Justice
Land Use and Noise
Lawsuits
Civil Liberty Issues
Miscellaneous Noise Stories
Noise Ordinances
Noise Organizations Mentioned
Outdoor Events
Noise in Our National Parks/Natural Areas
Regulation
Residential and Community Noise
Snowmobile and ATV Noise
Research and Studies
Technological Solutions to Noise
Transportation Related Noise
Violence and Noise
Watercraft Noise
Workplace Noise