H.R. 5151

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5151 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5151

To reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control in the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 4, 2025

Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Min, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Brownley, 
Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
Peters, Mr. Goldman of New York, Mr. Levin, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Casten, Mr. 
Suozzi, Ms. Chu, and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To reestablish the Office of Noise Abatement and Control in the 
Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Quiet Communities Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--
(1) approximately 28,000,000 individuals in the United 
States are afflicted with some hearing impairment, and it has 
been estimated that 10,000,000 of those impairments are at 
least partially attributable to damage from exposure to noise;
(2) for millions of individuals in the United States, noise 
from aircraft, vehicular traffic, and a variety of other 
sources is a constant source of torment;
(3) millions of individuals in the United States are 
exposed to noise levels that can lead to sleep loss, 
psychological and physiological damage, and work disruption;
(4) chronic exposure to noise has been linked to increased 
risk of cardiovascular disorders, learning deficits in 
children, stress, and diminished quality of life;
(5) excessive noise leading to sleep deprivation and task 
interruptions can result in untold costs to society as a result 
of diminished worker productivity;
(6) pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), 
the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.), and the 
Quiet Communities Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 4901 note; Public Law 
95-609; 92 Stat. 3079), the Environmental Protection Agency 
established and maintained an Office of Noise Abatement and 
Control, which has not received funding since 1982;
(7) responsibilities of the Office of Noise Abatement and 
Control included promulgating noise emission standards, 
requiring product labeling, facilitating the development of 
low-noise-emission products, coordinating Federal noise 
reduction programs, assisting State and local noise abatement 
efforts, and promoting noise education and research;
(8) because the Environmental Protection Agency remains 
legally responsible for enforcing regulations issued under the 
Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.), even though 
funding for the activities of the Office of Noise Abatement and 
Control described in paragraph (7) was terminated, and because 
that Act prohibits State and local governments from regulating 
noise sources in many situations, noise abatement programs 
across the United States lie dormant; and
(9) as population growth and air and vehicular traffic 
continue to increase, noise pollution is likely to become an 
even greater problem in the future, and the health and welfare 
of individuals in the United States demands that the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the lead Federal agency for 
the protection of public health and welfare, once again assume 
a role in combating noise pollution.

SEC. 3. REESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF NOISE ABATEMENT AND CONTROL.

(a) Reestablishment.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency (referred to in this section as the 
``Administrator'') shall reestablish within the Environmental 
Protection Agency an Office of Noise Abatement and Control (referred to 
in this section as the ``Office'').
(b) Duties.--The responsibilities of the Office shall include--
(1) promoting the development of effective State and local 
noise control programs by providing States with technical 
assistance and grants to develop those programs, including the 
purchasing of equipment for local communities;
(2) carrying out a national noise control research program 
to assess the impacts of noise from varied noise sources on 
mental and physical health;
(3) carrying out a national noise environmental assessment 
program--
(A) to identify trends in noise exposure and 
response, ambient levels, and compliance data; and
(B) to determine the effectiveness of noise 
abatement actions, including actions for areas around 
major transportation facilities (such as highways, 
railroad facilities, and airports);
(4) developing and disseminating to the public information 
and educational materials relating to the mental and physical 
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, publications, and 
other means;
(5) developing educational and training materials and 
programs, including national and regional workshops, to support 
State and local noise abatement and control programs;
(6) establishing regional technical assistance centers to 
use the capabilities of institutions of higher education and 
private organizations to assist State and local noise control 
programs; and
(7) undertaking an assessment of the effectiveness of the 
Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4901 et seq.).
(c) Preferred Approaches.--In carrying out the duties of the Office 
under subsection (b), the Office shall emphasize noise abatement 
approaches that rely on local and State activities, market incentives, 
and coordination with other public and private agencies.
(d) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator shall carry out a study 
of aircraft noise and the effects of that noise on surrounding 
communities.
(2) Contracts and other agreements.--The Administrator 
shall enter into contracts or other agreements with independent 
scientists with expertise in noise measurements, noise effects, 
and noise abatement techniques to conduct the study under 
paragraph (1).
(3) Contents.--The study under paragraph (1) shall 
examine--
(A) the selection of noise measurement 
methodologies by the Federal Aviation Administration;
(B) the threshold of aircraft noise at which health 
impacts are felt; and
(C) the effectiveness of aircraft noise abatement 
programs at airports around the United States.
(4) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
submit to Congress a report on the results of the study 
conducted under paragraph (1).
(B) Requirements.--The report submitted under 
subparagraph (A) shall include specific recommendations 
on new measures that can be implemented to mitigate the 
impact of aircraft noise on surrounding communities.
(e) Conforming Amendment.--The Noise Pollution and Abatement Act of 
1970 (Public Law 91-604; 84 Stat. 1709) is repealed.

SEC. 4. GRANTS UNDER QUIET COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.

Section 14 of the Noise Control Act of 1972 (42 U.S.C. 4913) is 
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
striking ``but not limited to'';
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking ``sections 6, 7, 
and 8 of this Act'' and inserting ``section 6 or 8 of 
this Act, or section 44715 of title 49, United States 
Code''; and
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and 
indenting appropriately;
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
striking ``but not be limited to'' and inserting ``in 
accordance with the Federal authority pursuant to this 
Act to regulate sources of noise in interstate 
commerce'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (C) by striking 
``and,'' at the end;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
through (D) as clauses (i) through (iv), 
respectively, and indenting appropriately; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) establishing and implementing 
training programs on use of noise abatement 
equipment; and
``(vi) implementing noise abatement 
plans;'';
(C) by striking the undesignated matter following 
paragraph (5); and
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively, and 
indenting appropriately; and
(3) by redesignating subsections (a) through (g) as 
paragraphs (1) through (7), respectively, and indenting 
appropriately.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated for the Office of Noise 
Abatement and Control reestablished under section 3(a) $25,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
<all>