Int. No. 527
By Council Members Chin, Gentile, Koo, Levine, Mendez, Rose, Barron and Espinal
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to city-wide ambient noise level monitoring.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Legislative findings and intent. The Council finds that noise pollution is widely prevalent in urban areas. Transportation systems are the main source of noise pollution in urban areas but construction of buildings, highways, and streets also cause significant noise, due to the usage of air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks, jackhammers and pavement breakers. Industrial noise also adds to the already unfavorable state of noise pollution. Loud speakers, plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners, fans, and vacuum cleaners add to the existing noise pollution.
The Council further finds that noise pollution is associated with a variety of adverse health impacts including hearing loss, elevated blood pressure, sleep loss, increased heart rates, and cardiovascular constriction and labored breathing. These health effects can lead to social handicap, decreased performance in learning, absenteeism in the workplace and school and accidents. The Council finds that children are more vulnerable to noise than adults because they spend more time in bed and might be also exposed to night noise. Similarly, the chronically ill and elderly are more sensitive to disturbance.
Accordingly the Council finds that it is in the best interests of New York City to require that the Department of Environmental Protection collect data on ambient noise levels throughout the city and make such data on noise pollution available annually.
§ 2. Section 24-232 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to add a new subdivision 232.2 as follows:
24-232.2 a. Citywide ambient noise level monitoring. The department shall install sound level meters or dosimeters at major intersections throughout the city and at recreational areas where noise levels can be anticipated to be at or above 65 dBa by December thirtieth, two thousand sixteen. Commencing on December thirtieth, two thousand seventeen and every December thirtieth thereafter, the department shall issue a report to the mayor and to the speaker of the council containing the results of the noise level monitoring of ambient noise levels citywide. Such report shall also be posted on the department's website annually.
b. Where the results of the ambient sound level monitoring indicates that community boards are experiencing unhealthy levels of noise that contribute actual or potential danger to public health or the environment or present a health risk to at-risk populations based upon the most recent research available, the department of environmental protection along with the departments of transportation and education shall collaboratively identify, develop and require the implementation of corrective mitigation measures that significantly reduce or eliminate short-term and long term exposure risks.
§3. This local law shall take effect ninety days after enactment, provided, however, that the commissioner of environmental protection shall take such measures as are necessary for its implementation, including the promulgation of rules, prior to such effective date.
LS # 671 SS
4/4/14 11:05 a.m.