Noise In The News: Weekly Round-Up

by Quiet Communities Staff

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio

New York issues moratorium on ‘hyper scale’ data centers

New York just became the first state in the nation to protect its communities from data center related noise and pollution, issuing a one year moratorium on permits for large-scale facilities as the state develops an environmental framework. And hyperscale facilities — those with a power capacity of 50 megawatts and above — are hopefully just the first step. It’s an encouraging victory in the long battle against noise and pollution in our neighborhoods.

Proposed Michigan bill aims to quell highway car noise  

Continuing this week’s trend of effective noise policy, Michigan lawmakers are cracking down on car noise on a busy Detroit street. Neighbors of Woodward Avenue say that year-round noise from modified mufflers impacts their social, mental, and physical wellbeing — and current laws, which cannot be enforced on state highways, do nothing to help. Heeding their complaints, State Reps Natalie Price and Jason Hoskins seek to pass House Bills 6151 and 6152, which allows enforcement of excessive noise laws on all state highways, with the support of the local community and the Royal Oak Police Department.