§ 386. Motor vehicle sound level limits. 1. As used in this section;

a. A-weighted sound level shall mean the sound pressure level measured
by the use of an instrument with the metering characteristics and
A-weighting frequency response prescribed for sound level meters.

b. Combination of vehicles shall mean any device consisting of a motor
vehicle and one or more trailers drawn by such motor vehicle.

c. Sound pressure level shall mean twenty times the logarithm to the
base ten of the ratio of the root mean squared pressure of a sound to a
reference pressure of twenty micropascals. The unit applied to this
measure shall be the decibel (dB).

2. This section shall apply to the total sound level emitted from a
motor vehicle or a combination of vehicles.

3. Unlawful acts.

a. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be
operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or combination of
vehicles with a maximum gross weight in excess of ten thousand pounds,
at any time, under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or
deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the applicable A-weighted
sound level set forth in table I. The maximum allowable sound levels in
table I are based on a sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a
distance of fifty feet from the center of the lane in which the motor
vehicle is traveling.

TABLE I

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT
35 miles
per hour over 35
OR LESS MILES PER HOUR
86DB (A) 90 DB (A)

b. In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or
cause to be operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or
combination of vehicles with a maximum gross weight in excess of ten
thousand pounds and equipped with an engine speed governor, which
generates an A-weighted sound level in excess of eighty-eight dB(A)
measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from the
longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, when the engine of such vehicle
is accelerated from idle with a wide open throttle to governed speed
with the vehicle stationary, transmission in neutral and clutch engaged.

c. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be
operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or combination of
vehicles, except motorcycles, with a maximum gross weight of ten
thousand pounds or less, at any time, under any condition of grade,
load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the
applicable A-weighted sound level set forth in table II. The maximum
allowable sound levels in table II are based on a sound level measured
at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from the center of the lane
in which the motor vehicle is traveling:

TABLE II

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT
35 miles
per hour over 35
OR LESS MILES PER HOUR
76 DB(A) 82 DB(A)

d. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be
operated on a public highway any motorcycle, at any time, under any
condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner
as to exceed the applicable A-weighted sound level set forth in table
III. The maximum allowable sound levels in table III are based on a
sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from
the center of the lane in which the motorcycle is traveling.

TABLE III

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT
35 miles
per hour over 35
OR LESS MILES PER HOUR
82 DB(A) 86 DB(A)

4. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall promulgate
regulations establishing the measurement procedures and instrumentation
to be utilized in the enforcement of this section.

a. These procedures shall allow, to the extent feasible, motor vehicle
sound measurements to be accomplished in reasonably confined areas such
as residential areas of urban cities, and may provide for sound
measurement at distances other than fifty feet and in the vicinity of
sound reflecting surfaces.

b. The regulations shall take into consideration recognized scientific
and professional standards for the measurement of vehicular sound
levels.

5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to vehicles and
implements or combinations thereof used solely for farm purposes, nor to
authorized emergency vehicles.

6. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting or
precluding the enforcement of equipment requirements or any other
provisions of law relating to motor vehicle noise.

7. At intervals of not more than two years, the commissioner of
environmental conservation shall report to the governor and the
legislature on the current state of the art of motor vehicle sound level
limitations and recommend changes as necessary.