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Noise Control Act

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Noise Control Act of 1972
Great Seal of the United States
Other short titlesNoise Pollution and Abatement Act of 1972
Long titleAn Act To control the emission of noise detrimental to the human environment, and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)NCA
Enacted bythe 92nd United States Congress
EffectiveOctober 27, 1972
Citations
Public lawPublic Law 92-574
Statutes at Large86 Stat. 1234
Codification
Acts amendedClean Air Act  · Federal Aviation Act of 1958
U.S.C. sections created42 U.S.C. ch. 65 (§ 4901 et seq.)
U.S.C. sections amended49 U.S.C. § 1431
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 11021 by D‑FL Paul Rogersth on September 30, 1971
  • Committee consideration by House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce  · Senate Committee on Public Works
  • Passed the House on February 29, 1972 (356–32)
  • Passed the Senate as the S. 3342 on October 13, 1972 (Voice vote)
  • Reported by the joint conference committee on October 1972; agreed to by the House on October 18, 1972 (Voice vote (agreed to amendments)) and by the Senate on October 18, 1972 (Voice vote (agreed to amendments))
  • Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on October 27, 1972
Major amendments
Quiet Communities Act of 1978

The Noise Pollution and Abatement Act of 1972 is a statute of the United States initiating a federal program of regulating noise pollution with the intent of protecting human health and minimizing annoyance of noise to the general public.[1]

The Act established mechanisms of setting emission standards (noise regulation) for virtually every source of noise, including motor vehicles, aircraft, certain types of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) equipment and major appliances. It also put local governments on notice as to their responsibilities in land-use planning to address noise mitigation. This noise regulation framework comprised a broad data base detailing the extent of noise health effects.

Congress ended funding of the federal noise control program in 1981, which curtailed development of further national regulations. Since then, starting in 1982, the primary responsibility to addressing noise pollution shifted to state and local governments.[2] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) retains authority to conduct research and publish information on noise and its effects on the public, which is often included nowadays in environmental impact assessments for new urban developments.[3] The initial EPA regulations and programs provided a basis for development of many state and local government noise control laws across the United States.[4][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Noise Control Act of 1972, P.L. 92-574, 86 Stat. 1234, 42 U.S.C. § 4901 - 42 U.S.C. § 4918.
  2. ↑ "Noise Pollution | Health Impact Assessments - UCLA SPH". www.hiaguide.org. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  3. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, DC. "Noise Pollution." 2010-05-18.
  4. ↑ Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, Montpelier, VT. "State Noise Statutes & Regulations." Accessed 2010-08-19.
  5. ↑ Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, Montpelier, VT. "Noise Regulations & Ordinances of U.S. Cities, Counties and Towns." Accessed 2010-08-19.