Table 4.15 New Jersey Administrative Code 7:29 noise assessment guidance document, The Noise 7:29-1.2, during daytime hours (7:00 AM to 10:00 PM), 4.3. Noise OCTAVE BAND CENTER OCTAVE BAND SOUND Guidebook, requires evaluation of a site’s exposure the generator cannot emit sound levels during testing FREQUENCY (Hz) PRESSURE LEVEL (dB) to three major noise sources, which comprise the in excess of 65 A-weighted decibels (dBA) and also Regulatory Setting 31.5 96 ambient environment (aircraft, roadways, and cannot emit sound levels in excess of the specific There are no applicable federal noise laws or 63 82 railways) to identify whether the site would provide octave band sound pressure levels (dB) listed in Table regulations that apply to this project. HUD’s noise 125 74 a suitable living environment. Therefore, HUD site 4.15 at property lines of the nearest sensitive receiver. assessment guidance document, The Noise acceptability thresholds are only applicable to projects 250 67 Guidebook, does not address the control of As the Project is located within Hudson County, the that fund a noise-sensitive receiver. Since the Project 500 63 construction-related noise sources. Rather, the Noise Ordinance of the Hudson Regional Health would not fund a noise-sensitive receiver, but would HUD Noise Policy is predicated on protecting new 1,000 60 Commission (NOHRHC) was reviewed. According to create structures and implement systems to reduce residential communities constructed in environments 2,000 57 this ordinance, construction is not permitted on private the risk of future flooding, HUD criteria are not with excessive ambient noise (e.g. from rail lines, 4,000 55 or public right-of-way on weekdays between 6:00 PM appropriate for evaluating operational-related noise heavy vehicular traffic, and frequent aircraft flyovers). and 7:00 AM, or at any time on weekends and legal 8,000 53 impacts associated with the Project. The goal of the HUD Noise Policy is to ensure that holidays. The code does allow emergency work or Source: New Jersey Administrative Code 7:29-1.2(a). new residential communities are either constructed in The statewide Noise Control Act (N.J.A.C. 7:29) those activities which have received a special variance acceptable living environments or properly designed establishes maximum permissible sound level limits, to be performed overnight or during weekend periods to ensure that acceptable interior noise levels can 4.3.1 Methodology which shall be met at or within the property line of without penalty (up to $500 per day). In addition, The Resist infrastructure of the Project is anticipated be achieved. Therefore, HUD noise criteria are not a sensitive receiver. In accordance with N.J.A.C. according to the NOHRHC, construction noise is to be constructed over a 3.5-year period and the DSD applicable to address construction noise or assess 7:29-1.5(a)14m, each emergency generator would exempt from noise level limits during weekday daytime infrastructure will be completed as funding becomes construction-related noise impact. In addition, be exempt from compliance with these maximum hours (i.e., 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM). available. there are no standardized federal noise criteria for permissible sound level limits when providing power evaluating construction-related noise impacts. At the municipal level, only noise level limits to pumps in the event of a loss of primary power DSD elements of the Project are proposed throughout associated with construction of buildings and (i.e., emergency situations). While exempt from the the Study Area. Activities necessary to construct DSD Similarly, the statewide Noise Control Act in New structures on private properties within the City code under emergency situations, instantaneous elements will require standard construction equipment Jersey (N.J.A.C. 7:29) does not regulate construction of Hoboken’s Municipal Code (Part II; General sound levels associated with operation of each pump and activities such as excavators for ground noise. However, pump stations are proposed as Legislation, Chapter 133: Noise Control) and Jersey station’s emergency generator must be at or below excavation and backfill, as well as asphalt paving an operational element of this project. Each pump City’s noise ordinance (Chapter 222: Noise) are maximum permissible sound level limits at the nearest machines, rollers, and plate compactors to restore station would include an emergency generator that addressed. The Township of Weehawken does not sensitive site property line including residential, roadway surfaces. Excavators or truck-mounted would provide power to pumps in the event of a possess a noise control ordinance. Applicable noise commercial, and community facilities during weekly cranes will be necessary to lift and lower small tanks loss of primary power (i.e. emergency situations). ordinances can be found in the Noise and Vibration testing. Since nighttime (10:00PM to 7:00AM) into trenches. Larger cranes are necessary to lift and On a federal level, there are no noise regulations Technical Environmental Study (2016). maximum permissible sound level limits are more lower precast chamber units into water detention requiring assessment of emergency generators stringent, it has been assumed that generator testing basins. Depending on the size and location of or criteria established to determine impact. HUD’s would be restricted to daytime hours. As per N.J.A.C. installation, cranes may be necessary for one day to Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences—Noise 4-91 Table 4.16 FHWA Noise Abatement Criteria a few weeks. These types of construction activities ACTIVITY CATEGORY THRESHOLD OF NOISE INTERFERENCE EVALUATION LOCATION DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY CATEGORY and equipment are typical and common place within this Study Area. However, construction activities Leq L10 necessary to construct Resist structures, including Lands on which serenity and quiet are of extraordinary significance and A 57 60 Exterior serve an important public need and where the preservation of those the 14th Street high-level sewer for Alternatives 2 qualities is essential if the area is to continue to serve its intended purpose. and 3 and the force main outfalls along Weehawken B 67 70 Exterior Residential Cove for all alternatives, require heavy equipment. Active sport areas, amphitheaters, auditoriums, campgrounds, cemeteries, day-care centers, hospitals, libraries, medical facilities, parks, picnic areas, Heavy equipment and activities necessary for this C 67 70 Exterior places of worship, playgrounds, public meeting rooms, public or non-profit type of construction include impact and vibratory institutional structures, radio studios, recording studios, recreation areas, Section 4(f) sites, schools, television studios, trails, and trail crossings. hammers to drive piles. These types of construction Auditoriums, day-care centers, hospitals, libraries, medical facilities, places D 52 55 Interior of worship, public meeting rooms, public or nonprofit institutional structures, activities would result in the highest construction- radio studios, recording studios, schools, and television studios. related noise levels associated with the Project. As Hotels, motels, offices, restaurants/bars, and other developed lands, E 72 75 Exterior properties or activities not included in A-D or F. such, construction-related noise levels for these heavy Agriculture; airports; bus yards; emergency services; industrial; logging; construction activities were calculated for each Build maintenance facilities; manufacturing; mining; rail yards; retail facilities; F - - - shipyards; utilities (water resources, water treatment, electrical); and Alternative. The construction duration for this heavy warehousing. equipment, for Resist infrastructure construction, is G - - - Undeveloped lands that are not permitted. projected to last 3.5 years (44 months). Source: 23 CFR, Part 772, Table 1 Noise Abatement Criteria As previously stated, there are no standardized (interior) land use according to Table 1 in 23 CFR 772. All Saints Episcopal Day Schools (Washington were predicted, were determined to be adversely criteria, on a federal level, for evaluating construction Libraries, places of worship, and some schools within and Clinton Streets locations), and TG Connors affected. In addition, any schools with exterior areas noise impacts. In the absence of any weekday daytime the Study Area lack exterior areas of frequent human Elementary School, since these schools possess of frequent human use and recreational areas where construction-related noise level guidance established use and, based on FHWA guidance, they should be exterior areas of frequent human use. These schools, construction-related exterior noise levels of 66 dBA by federal, state, county, or municipal governments, evaluated based on interior noise abatement criteria. as well as all recreational areas, were evaluated as LAeq) or greater were predicted were considered to the procedures published by the Federal Highway Additionally, FHWA guidance states that noise levels FHWA Activity Category C. FHWA’s Noise Abatement be adversely affected. Administration (FHWA) for abatement of highway should be estimated based on open windows, unless Criteria is presented within Table 4.16. construction noise (23 CFR 772) was reviewed and Heavy construction activities related to the Project there is firm knowledge that the windows are kept accepted as the best available criteria to evaluate According to NJDOT’s 2011 Traffic Management