Environmental Impact Statement - Sonoma Land Trust

California Department of Fish and Game
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Section 3.12. Noise
Hunting activities are noise sensitive. Since the Black Point Sports Club use of
the Dickson Ranch property would be discontinued prior to implementation of
the Project, this use is not considered as a noise-sensitive land use for the purpose
of this analysis.
There are no adjacent hospitals, schools, guest lodging, libraries or other
sensitive receptors near the project area.
Existing Noise Conditions
Ambient sound levels in the project area are generally low because most of the
project area is distant from typical sources of noise such as traffic or industrial
noise sources. Primary sources of noise in the area include aircraft overflights,
traffic along Highway 37, agricultural operations, and private hunting activities.
Ambient sound levels in a rural setting such as this are typically in the range of
40 to 60 dBA.
Regulatory Setting
Various federal, state, and local agencies have developed guidelines for
evaluating land use compatibility under different sound-level ranges. These
guidelines are summarized below.
Federal
The federal Noise Control Act of 1972 established a requirement that all federal
agencies administer their programs to promote an environment free of noise that
jeopardizes public health or welfare. The EPA was given the responsibility for:
• providing information to the public regarding identifiable effects of noise on
public health or welfare,
• publishing information on the levels of environmental noise that will protect
public health and welfare within an adequate margin of safety,
• coordinating federal research and activities related to noise control, and
• establishing federal noise-emission standards for selected products
distributed in interstate commerce.
The EPA identified indoor and outdoor noise limits to protect against effects on
public health and welfare. Outdoor limits of 55 dB-L dn and indoor limits of
45 dB-L dn are identified as desirable to protect against speech interference and
sleep disturbance for residential areas and areas with educational and healthcare
facilities.
Sears Point Wetland and Watershed Restoration
Project Final Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement
3.12-3
April 2012