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Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-102

§4901 Congressional Findings and Statement of Policy

Title 42 › CHAPTER 65 — NOISE CONTROL › § 4901

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Promotes a national policy to protect Americans from harmful noise. It requires the Federal Government to coordinate noise research and actions, set national limits on noise from products sold across the country, and give the public information about how noisy products are and how to reduce noise. Congress found that uncontrolled noise is a growing health risk, especially in cities. Major sources include vehicles, machinery, appliances, and other products sold in commerce. States and local governments are mainly responsible for noise control, but the Federal Government must act when nationwide rules are needed.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §4901

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds—
(1)that inadequately controlled noise presents a growing danger to the health and welfare of the Nation’s population, particularly in urban areas;
(2)that the major sources of noise include transportation vehicles and equipment, machinery, appliances, and other products in commerce; and
(3)that, while primary responsibility for control of noise rests with State and local governments, Federal action is essential to deal with major noise sources in commerce control of which require national uniformity of treatment.
(b)The Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to promote an environment for all Americans free from noise that jeopardizes their health or welfare. To that end, it is the purpose of this chapter to establish a means for effective coordination of Federal research and activities in noise control, to authorize the establishment of Federal noise emission standards for products distributed in commerce, and to provide information to the public respecting the noise emission and noise reduction characteristics of such products.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title

of 1978 Amendment Pub. L. 95–609, § 1, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3079, provided: “That this Act [amending section 4905, 4910, 4913, 4918, 6901, 6903, 6907, 6913, 6922, 6923, 6925, to 6928, 6947, 6961, 6962, 6964, 6972, 6973, 6977, and 6981 to 6984 of this title and section 1431 of former Title 49, Transportation, and enacting provision set out as a note under section 1431 of former Title 49] may be cited as the ‘Quiet Communities Act of 1978’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 92–574, § 1, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1234, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter, amending section 1431 of former Title 49, Transportation, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 1431 of former Title 49] may be cited as the ‘Noise Control Act of 1972’.”

Executive Documents

Federal Compliance With Pollution Control StandardsFor provisions relating to the responsibility of the head of each Executive agency for compliance with applicable pollution control standards, see Ex. Ord. No. 12088, Oct. 13, 1978, 43 F.R. 47707, set out as a note under section 4321 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 4901

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102