TagNoise Control Act of 1972(6)

A U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia memorandum opinion and order in a case brought by Quiet Communities, Inc. and Jeanne Kempthorne against the EPA for failing to implement the Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978. The court found it lacked jurisdiction over several claims and that

H.R. 4178, the Quiet Communities Act of 2023, is a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 15, 2023, that seeks to reestablish the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement and Control, which has received no funding since 1982. The bill highlights the serious health impacts of noise pollution — including hearing loss, cardiovascular disorders, sleep deprivation, and learning deficits in children — affecting millions of Americans exposed to noise from aircraft, vehicular traffic, and other sources. Because the EPA remains legally responsible for enforcing noise regulations while lacking an active office to do so, and because federal law limits state and local governments from regulating many noise sources, the bill argues that noise abatement programs across the country have effectively lain dormant.

Senate Bill No. 3076, introduced by Senators Dore, Mardesich, and Day on January 17, 1974, proposes giving Washington's Department of Social and Health Services the authority to regulate and control noise pollution, including emissions from motor vehicles and aircraft. The bill would allow the department to set noise level limits, investigate complaints, and seek injunctions against violators. Anyone found in violation could face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $100 per offense.