# Understanding the Noise Data Collection Act

This bill requires the federal government to start tracking and reporting how many Americans are bothered by airplane noise. Right now, there's no consistent, public record of this information, so Congress and the public don't really know the scope of the problem. The bill asks the Secretary of Transportation (through the Federal Aviation Administration) to measure and report annually how many people are exposed to different levels of aviation noise, then share those numbers with Congress and make them available to the public.

The bill focuses on three specific noise levels that scientists use to measure sound: 65 decibels (dBA), 55 dBA, and 46 dBA. These numbers matter because they represent different thresholds of noise exposure—65 dBA is considered significantly disruptive, while 55 dBA and 46 dBA represent lower but still noticeable levels. By tracking exposure at all three levels, the government will get a complete picture of how airplane noise affects different communities, from those living near major airports experiencing heavy noise to people in more distant areas still affected by flight paths.

The bill also requires the government to look back and estimate how many people were exposed to these noise levels going back to 2010, so we can see if the problem is getting better or worse over time. Additionally, whenever the Transportation Department publishes any report that mentions aviation noise exposure, it must include data on all three noise levels, not just one. This ensures consistent information across all government reports and presentations.

For everyday people, this bill means better information about a real quality-of-life issue. If you live near an airport or under flight paths, this data could help you understand whether your experience is isolated or part of a larger pattern affecting thousands or millions of Americans. It could also support future efforts to address airplane noise through policy changes or regulations.

Noise Data Collection Act

Lynch, Stephen F.

Noise Data Collection ActThis bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to annually report to Congress the estimated number of individuals in the United States who are exposed to certain levels of aviation noise.Specifically, the report must include estimates for the number of individuals exposed to aviation noise at each of the following day-night average sound levels (DNLs): 65 dBA, 55 dBA, and 46 dBA. In addition, the FAA's initial report must include an estimate of the number of individuals exposed to aviation noise at these levels for each year during the period beginning on January 1, 2010, and ending on the last day of the year preceding the year for which the first report is submitted.The DNL noise metric reflects a person's cumulative exposure to sound over a 24-hour period, expressed as the noise level for the average day of the year on the basis of annual aircraft operations.