May 1, 2019
Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet
For immediate release
Contact:
Ted Rueter
877-664-7366
[email protected]
Chapel Hill: Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet has proclaimed May 2019 as “Motorcycle Noise Awareness Month.” Noise Free America’s director, Ted Rueter, stated that “noise pollution caused by loud motorcycles is a serious environmental problem. Anti-noise advocates should lobby their local city council to adopt a resolution proclaiming May as motorcycle noise awareness month using the template proclamation provided.”
Loud noise is a serious public health problem. It is related to hearing loss, ringing of the ears, aggressive behavior, sleep deprivation, and heart disease.
Many Americans strongly dislike excessive noise. A Census Bureau report found that noise is Americans’ number one complaint about their neighborhood and the number one reason they wish to move. Similarly, 85 percent of calls to New York City’s quality of life hotline concern noise.
In 1972, Congress enacted the Noise Control Act to “promote an environment for all Americans free from noise that jeopardizes their health or welfare” and established the EPA Office of Noise Abatement and Control. The Office of Noise Abatement and Control found that transportation-related noise disturbed the public the most; they concluded that motorcycles exhaust systems are “major sources of environmental noise.” The EPA issued federal regulations establishing maximum noise limits for motorcycles and established a federal motorcycle muffler standard to prevent motorcycles from exceeding those noise limits.
However, owners of loud motorcycles frequently ignore federal and state muffler laws and illegally modify their motorcycle’s exhaust system. Consquently, many motorcycles are so loud that they keep people awake at night, create a nuisance in traffic, and ruin the peace and tranquility of the home. The unlawful tampering with motorcycle exhaust systems is the fundamental cause of excessively loud motorcycles.
The states and their law enforcement agencies should address the problem of excessive motorcycle noise and its root cause by adopting the recommended approach in Noise Free America’s Guide to Modified Exhaust Systems: A Reference for Law Enforcement Officials and Motor Vehicle Inspectors.
Noise Free America: A Coalition to Promote Quiet is a national citizens’ organization opposed to excessive noise.
(insert the title of your local government)
Of
“Motorcycle Noise Awareness Month”
WHEREAS: Inadequately controlled noise pollution causes adverse psychological and physiological effects on human beings and presents a danger to the health and welfare of the citizens of (insert the name of your municipality).
WHEREAS: Public surveys conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency found that transportation related noise disturbed the public the most, that excessively loud motorcycles figured prominently in public complaints and concluded that motorcycles are among the noisiest vehicles in the traffic stream.
WHEREAS: Many motorcycles illegally equipped with ineffective exhaust systems are major sources of environmental noise, are so loud that they keep people awake at night, ruin the peace and tranquility of the home, and create a nuisance in traffic.
WHEREAS: (insert the title of your local government) recognizes the harm inflicted on its citizens by excessively loud motorcycles and its responsibility to protect its citizens from that harm and to enforce the applicable laws.
WHEREAS: (insert the title of your local government) calls upon its citizens to assist in this effort and report excessively loud motorcycles to the police department.
WHEREAS: In the interest of promoting an environment for all citizens free from noise that jeopardizes their health or welfare and to protect, preserve and promote the health, safety, welfare, peace and quiet for the citizens of (insert the name of your municipality).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED by (insert the title of your local government) that the Month of May, (insert year) be proclaimed: “Motorcycle Noise Awareness Month” in (insert the name of your municipality).