Kahului Airport Access Road Page 11
Mestre Greve Associates Division of Landrum and Brown
Table 1 FHWA/HDOT Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) Activity Category
NAC
Description of Activities
A
57 dBA Leq(h) Exterior
Lands on which serenity and quiet are of extraordinary significance and serve an important public need and where the preservation of those qualities is essential if the area is to continue to serve its intended purpose
B
67 dBA Leq(h) Exterior
Picnic Areas, recreation areas, playgrounds, active sports areas, parks, residences, motels, hotels, schools, churches, libraries, and hospitals
C
72 dBA Leq(h) Exterior
Developed lands, properties, or activities not included in Categories A or B above Undeveloped lands
D E
52 dBA Leq(h) Interior
Residences, motels, hotels, public meeting rooms, schools, churches, libraries, hospitals, and auditoriums
In identifying noise impacts, primary consideration is given to exterior areas of frequent human use. In situations where there are no exterior activities, or where the exterior activities are far from the roadway or physically shielded in a manner that prevents an impact on exterior activities, the interior criterion (Activity Category E) is used as the basis for determining a noise impact.
3.2 State Regulations And Policies As discussed above, 23 CFR 772 leaves several noise abatement policies up to each state to define. The State of Hawaii's Highway Noise Policy and Abatement Guidelines defines these policies is summarized in Section 3.2.]. Noise generated by construction activities will be required to comply with the State's Noise Ordinance, which is summarized in Section 3.2.2. 3.2.1
Highway Noise Policy and Abatement Guidelines
The Hawaii DOT's "Highway Noise Policy and Abatement Guidelines" (April, 20]]) specifies the policies, procedures, and practices to be used by agencies that sponsor new construction or reconstruction of federal or federal-aid highway projects. The NAC specified in the Policy are the same as those specified in 23 CFR 772 presented in Table 1 above. The Policy defines a noise increase as substantial when the predicted noise levels with project implementation exceed existing noise levels by 15 dBA. The Policy also states that a sound level is considered to approach a NAC level when the sound level is within 1 dB of the NAC identified in 23 CFR 772 (for example, 66 dBA is considered to approach the NAC of 67 dBA, but 65 dBA is not). The state policy also defines which areas should be analyzed for potential noise impacts (i.e.; analysis location) and limits them to developed lands and undeveloped lands where development is planned, designed, and programmed. Future development is considered to be planned, designed and programmed if a noise sensitive land use has received a building permit from the local agency with jurisdiction at the time the analysis is prepared. The impact analysis to be