[Laws in effect as of January 16, 1996]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 16, 1996 and August 28, 1996]
[CITE: 42USC4913]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE

 
                        CHAPTER  65-- NOISE  CONTROL

 
Sec. 4913. Quiet communities, research, and public information



    To promote the development of effective State and local noise  

control programs, to provide an adequate Federal noise  control research 

program designed to meet the objectives of this chapter , and to 

otherwise carry out the policy of this chapter , the Administrator shall, 

in cooperation with other Federal agencies and through the use of 

grants, contracts, and direct Federal actions--

        (a) develop and disseminate information and educational 

    materials to all segments of the public on the public health and 

    other 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, publication, 

    and other means;

        (b) conduct or finance research directly or with any public or 

    private organization or any person on the effects, measurement, and 

    control of noise , including but not limited to--

            (1) investigation of the psychological and physiological 

        effects of noise  on humans and the effects of noise  on domestic 

        animals, wildlife, and property, and the determination of dose/

        response relationships suitable for use in decisionmaking, with 

        special emphasis on the nonauditory effects of noise ;

            (2) investigation, development, and demonstration of noise  

        control technology for products subject to possible regulation 

        under sections 4905 and 4907 of this title and section 44715 of 

        title 49;

            (3) investigation, development, and demonstration of 

        monitoring equipment and other technology especially suited for 

        use by State and local  noise  control programs;

            (4) investigation of the economic impact of  noise  on 

        property and human activities; and

            (5) investigation and demonstration of the use of economic 

        incentives (including emission charges) in the control of  noise ;



        (c) administer a nationwide Quiet Communities Program which 

    shall include, but not be limited to--

            (1) grants to States, local governments, and authorized 

        regional planning agencies for the purpose of--

                (A) identifying and determining the nature and extent of 

            the  noise  problem within the subject jurisdiction;

                (B) planning, developing, and establishing a  noise  

            control capacity in such jurisdiction, including purchasing 

            initial equipment;

                (C) developing abatement plans for areas around major 

            transportation facilities (including airports, highways, and 

            rail yards) and other major stationary sources of  noise , 

            and, where appropriate, for the facility or source itself; 

            and,

                (D) evaluating techniques for controlling  noise  

            (including institutional arrangements) and demonstrating the 

            best available techniques in such jurisdiction;



            (2) purchase of monitoring and other equipment for loan to 

        State and local  noise  control programs to meet special needs or 

        assist in the beginning implementation of a  noise  control 

        program or project;

            (3) development and implementation of a quality assurance 

        program for equipment and monitoring procedures of State and 

        local  noise  control programs to help communities assure that 

        their data collection activities are accurate;

            (4) conduct of studies and demonstrations to determine the 

        resource and personnel needs of States and local governments 

        required for the establishment and implementation of effective 

         noise  abatement and control programs; and

            (5) development of education and training materials and 

        programs, including national and regional workshops, to support 

        State and local  noise  abatement and control programs;



    except that no actions, plans or programs hereunder shall be 

    inconsistent with existing Federal authority under this  chapter  to 

    regulate sources of  noise  in interstate commerce;

        (d) develop and implement a national  noise  environmental 

    assessment program to identify trends in  noise  exposure and 

    response, ambient levels, and compliance data and to determine 

    otherwise the effectiveness of  noise  abatement actions through the 

    collection of physical, social, and human response data;

        (e) establish regional technical assistance centers which use 

    the capabilities of university and private organizations to assist 

    State and local  noise  control programs;

        (f) provide technical assistance to State and local governments 

    to facilitate their development and enforcement of  noise  control, 

    including direct onsite assistance of agency or other personnel with 

    technical expertise, and preparation of model State or local 

    legislation for  noise  control; and

        (g) provide for the maximum use in programs assisted under this 

    section of senior citizens and persons eligible for participation in 

    programs under the Older Americans Act [42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.].



(Pub. L. 92-574, Sec. 14, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1244; Pub. L. 95-609, 

Sec. 2, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3079.)



                       References in Text



    The Older Americans Act, referred to in subsec. (g), probably means 

the Older Americans Act of 1965, Pub. L. 89-73, July 14, 1965, 79 Stat. 

218, as amended, which is classified generally to  chapter  35 (Sec. 3001 

et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the 

Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3001 of this title and 

Tables.



                          Codification



    In subsec. (b)(2), ``section 44715 of title 49'' substituted for 

reference to section 7 of this Act, meaning section 7 of Pub. L. 92-574, 

which generally amended section 611 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 

(49 App. U.S.C. 1431), on authority of Pub. L. 103-272, Sec. 6(b), July 

5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1378, the first section of which enacted subtitles 

II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation.





                               Amendments



    1978--Pub. L. 95-609 completely revised and restructured existing 

provisions, inserting provisions relating to authorized use of grants 

and direct action, investigation of economic impact of  noise , 

administration of Quiet Communities Program, development of  noise  

assessment program, establishment of regional centers, technical 

assistance to State and local governments, and use by senior citizens of 

these programs.

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