United States
               Environmental Protection
               Agency
Office of
Noise Abatement Control
Washington DC 20460
EPA 550/9-78-207
Feb 1979
               Environmental Impact
               Statement for Proposed
               Revision to Rail Carrier Noise
               Emission Regulation
                        DRAFT
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                       DRAFT
           ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
                 FOR THE PROPOSED
REVISION TO RAIL CARRIER NOISE EMISSION REGULATION
                February 6,  1979
                  Prepared By

    The U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency
     Office of Noise Abatement and Control

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SUMMARY
1. TITLE OF ACTION: Revision of Railroad Noise Emission Regulation.
2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed
regulation is intended to reduce the level of noise emitted from railroad
facilities and equipment. The regulation is also intended to establish a
uniform national standard thereby eliminating inconsistent State and local
noise source emission regulations that may impose an undue burden on
particular railroad companies. The recommended action proposes to
establish noise emission standards for most facilities and equipment of’
interstate rail carriers.
In arriving at the proposed regulation, the Environmental Protection
Agency investigated in detail the railroad transportation industry, noise
control technology, noise measurement methodologies, costs of compliance
and economic impacts. Results of the research and analyses conducted in
each of these areas is described in the “Background Document for Proposed
Railroad Noise Emission Standards”, dated February 1979.
3. IMPACTS:
a. Reduction in overall rail yard site noise levels and
associated cumulative long—term impact upon the exposed
population.
b. General improvement on the quality of’ life, with quietness
as an amenity resource.
c. It is estimated that approximately t million people are
currently exposed, at their residences, to noise which
has been identified as potentially harmful to public
health and welfare resulting from railroad operations.
It is estimated that the proposed regulation will provide
an environment free from annoying levels of’ railroad
noise for about 830 thousand people and provide a varying
degree of relief to the remaining exposed population. In
terms of the overall extensiveness and severity of impact
from railroad noise, the proposed regulation is expected
to reduce the impact by 28.5 percent.
d. The total capital cost of the proposed standard is
estimated to be $91 million. On an annualized cost basis
this is $27.8 million per year through the year 2000.
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                                 DRAFT
                    ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
                                  FOR
                  RAILROAD NOISE EMISSION REGULATION
Abstract
     This Environmental Impact Statement addresses a proposed noise emission
regulation for railroad activities, other than line-haul operations.  In
arriving at the proposed regulation, the Agency carried out detailed investi-
gations of railroad yard operations, noise sources, noise measurement
methodologies, available noise control technology, costs attendant to noise
control methods, possible economic impacts, and the potential environmental
and health and welfare benefits associated with the application of various
noise control measures.  Data and information were generated as a result of
these investigations. Summaries are presented of the more pertinent informa-
tion regarding the environmental impacts expected to result from the proposed
action.

Introduction

     In accordance with Section 17 of the Noise Control Act of 1972, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a noise emission regulation
for railroad locomotives and railcars which are used in interstate commerce.
The regulation became law on December 31, 1975. The regulation was challenged
in a suit brought against the Agency by the Association of American Railroads
(AAR) on the basis that it did not establish standards for all of the facili-
ties and equipment of interstate rail carriers as required by the Act.  The
U.S  Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled that the
Agency must broaden its scope of the existing rail carrier regulation.

     Following the Court's decision, the Agency initiated investigative study
and noise measurement efforts to develop the necessary information and data on
which to base the regulation.  The "Background Document for Proposed Railroad
Noise Emission Standards" details the scope, context and breadth of the work
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work conducted in support of the regulation proposed. Section 2 of the
Background Document characterizes the railroad industry from a physical and
economic perspective. Section 3 identifies and classifies the railroad equip-
ment and facilities studied, including railroad yard operations and activities.
Baseline noise levels corresponding to railroad yard property line measurements
and specific equipment and facility measurements are described in Section 4.
Regulatory study levels related to a railroad yard property line standard are
introduced in Section 5 with the “best available technology” to reduce noise
emissions from the specified noise sources described corresponding to each
regulatory study level. Section 6 describes and details the results of the
railroad yard noise propagation model and the potential health and welfare
benefits associated with various noise control measures. Section 7 describes
the costs attendant to noise control methods to achieve various regulatory
study levels and also details the possible economic impacts.
The Agency now proposes to revise the December 31, 1975 regulation to
include standards which limit noise emissions resulting from the operation
of most equipment and facilities of’ interstate rail carriers. These stand-
ards are based on the degree of noise reduction achievable through the
application of “best available technology, taking into account the cost of
compliance”. These regulations apply to both existing and new equipment
and facilities.
THE PROPOSED REGULATION
Over 100 different combinations of levels and lead times were investi-
gated as part of the background study. Appendix L of’ the “Background
Document” details the principal options considered in the decision—making
process. Standards are being proposed which would limit overall facility
and equipment noise emissions. -
*Avajlable from: EPA Public Information Center, (PM—215), Room 219 tD,
U.S.E.P.A., kOl M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 2O 46O.
**Nojse Control Act of 1972.
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The standard to control overall facility and equipment noise is a
receiving property limit. This receiving property limit establishes a defini-
tive level of noise that can cross the boundary of a railroad facility onto
adjoining or nearby property. Measurements are made on property around
railroad yards to determine if the standard is being met.
Standards are also being proposed which would limit the noise caused
by specific pieces of equipment, or operations of equipment, that have been
identified as particularly annoying for the public. These standards apply to
retarders, mechanical refrigeration cars and car coupling. Measurements are
made at a specific distance from the equipment, or where the activity takes
place, to determine if the standards are being met.
The proposed standards and effective dates for sound emanating from a
railroad facility to a community location are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Receiving Property Effective
Source Standards, dB Date
All Facilities
& Equipment
Hump Yard Facilities
& Equipment
2 1 4—hour period
1—hour period
daytime nighttime
1982
1985
70, Ldfl
65, Ldfl
814, Leq 714, Leq
78, Leq 68, Leq
Source Standards, dB Effective Date
Retarders 90, dBA at 30 meters 1982
Refrigerator Cars 78, dBA at 7 meters 1982
Car Coupling 95, dBA at 30 meters 1982
The proposed noise emission standard for retarders is a not—to—exceed
A—weighted sound level of 90 dB at 30 meters from the center line of the
nearest track. The effective date for the standard is January 1, 1982.
The proposed standard for mechanical refrigerator cars is a not-to—exceed
A—weighted sound level of 78 dB measured at 7 meters from the center line of
the refrigerator oar rail track. The effective date of the standard is
January 1, 1982.
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The proposed standard for car coupling is a not—to—exceed A—weighted
sound level of 95 dB at 30 meters from the center line of the track, at the
point of contact, where car coupling takes place. The effective date of the
standard is January 1, 1982.
The regulation encompasses noise from all facilities and equipment of
interstate rail carriers, and it preempts state and local regulation of such
carriers. State and local governments, as provided under Section 17 (c) (1) of
the Noise Control Act, may adopt a standard that is identical to that which is
ultimately promulgated by the EPA.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The environmental impacts of the proposed regulation include the primary
impact, which is reduced community and individual effects from railroad noise
and the secondary impacts of other environmental considerations.
Approximately LI million people in the United States are exposed to day—
night average railroad facility and equipment, excluding mainline operations,
noise levels of Ldfl 55 dB or greater. An Ldn value of 55 dB is the
level of noise EPA has identified as being protective of public health and
welfare with an adequate margin of safety. Compliance with the proposed stand-
ards for existing yards is expected to provide an environment free from annoying
levels of railroad noise for about 830 thousand of the I million people exposed
to railroad noise and provide a varying degree of relief to the remaining
exposed population. In terms of the overall extensiveness and severity of
impact from rail yard noise, the proposed regulation is expected to reduce the
impact by 28.5 percent.
IMPACT ON OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
o Land Use
It can be anticipated that the impact on land use will be beneficial.
Noise regulation will make areas adjacent to railroad yards less noisy, thereby
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opening new areas to commercial and residential development that previously
had been too noisy for such uses.
o Water Quality
The proposed regulation shall have no adverse impact on water quality or
supply.
o Air Quality
The effect of the proposed regulation on air quality would be insigni-
ficant. There are several counteracting considerations in regard to air
quality. First, the estimated reduction in rail transportation would also
result in a reduction of fuel consumption which is estimated at 110,000 gallons
of diesel fuel annually. Counteracting this effort would be the small increase
in fuel consumption due to muffler installation. Further, counteracting the
reduction in operation would be the beneficial effect of shutting down idling
locomotives. In any event, it appears that the resulting increase or decrease
in air pollution would be relatively insignificant.
o Solid Waste Disposal Requirements
The proposed regulation should have no adverse effects on solid waste
disposal requirements.
o Wildlife
Although wildlife may possibly benefit from reduced noise levels, not
enough is known about such effects to arrive at definite conclusions.
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