SECTION SUMMARY. Section 3.11 Noise

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1 Section. Noise SECTION SUMMARY This section addresses the potential noise impacts associated with the construction and the operation of the proposed Project or an alternative. The sound from the proposed Project and the potential effect on the surrounding area could result from increasing container-handling capacities at the proposed Project site. Section., Noise, provides the following: A description of existing environmental setting in the Port area; A description of the existing sound levels in the surrounding area; A description of decibel scale; A description of applicable local, state, and federal regulations and policies that apply to the proposed Project and alternatives; A discussion on the methodology used to determine whether the proposed Project or alternatives would result in a noise impact; An impact analysis of both the proposed Project and alternatives; and, A description of any mitigation measures proposed to reduce any potential impacts, as applicable. Key Points of Section.: The proposed Project and alternatives would expand an existing container terminal, and its operations would be consistent with other uses and container terminals in the Project area. The proposed Project and Alternatives and would result in a significant noise impact to noise sensitive uses at Reservation Point and Fish Harbor during construction under both CEQA and NEPA, to noise sensitive uses at Reservation Point and Fish Harbor. The following mitigation measures would reduce potentially significant impacts to less than significant levels: MM NOI-: Noise Reduction during Pile Driving. The contractor shall be required to use a pile driving system, such as a Bruce hammer (with silencing kit), an IHC Hydrohammer SC series (with sound insulation system), or equivalent silenced hammer, which is capable of limiting maximum noise levels at 0 ft from the pile driver to 0 dba, or less, for wharf construction. With implementation of Standard Condition of approval SC BIO-, the pile driving would initiate with a soft start, in which the hammer is operated at a reduced energy, followed by a waiting period. The soft start technique would induce marine mammals and birds to leave the December 0.- SCH# 0000

2 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department 0 immediate area before pile hammer reaches full energy. Refer to Section., Biological Resources, for information on soft start of pile driving activities. MM NOI-: Erect Temporary Noise Attenuation Barriers Adjacent to Pile Driving Equipment, Where Necessary and Feasible. Erect temporary noise attenuation barriers suitable for pile driving equipment as needed. The barriers should be installed directly between the equipment and the nearest noise sensitive use to the construction site. The need for and feasibility of noise attenuation barriers should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the distance to noise sensitive receptors, the available space at the construction location, and taking account of safety and operational considerations. Operation of the proposed Project and its alternatives would not result in significant impacts to these or noise sensitive uses in the Port area. SCH# December 0

3 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise Introduction This section described the existing noise conditions in the Project area, describes applicable regulations and thresholds, and addresses potential noise impacts that could result from the proposed Project and alternatives... Environmental Setting... Noise Fundamentals Noise may be defined as unwanted sound. Noise is usually objectionable because it is disturbing or annoying. The objectionable nature of sound can be caused by its pitch or its loudness. Pitch of a tone or sound depends on the relative rapidity (frequency) of the vibrations by which it is produced. Loudness is the amplitude of sound waves combined with the reception characteristics of the ear. Amplitude may be compared with the height of an ocean wave. Technical acoustical terms commonly used in this section are defined in Table Decibels and Frequency In addition to the concepts of pitch and loudness, there are several noise measurement scales that are used to describe noise. The decibel (db) is a unit of measurement, which indicates the relative amplitude of a sound. Zero on the decibel scale is based on the lowest sound pressure that a healthy, unimpaired human ear can detect. Sound levels in decibels are calculated on a logarithmic basis. An increase of 0 decibels represents a 0-fold increase in acoustic energy, while 0 decibels is 00 times more intense, 0 decibels is,000 times more intense, etc. There is a relationship between the subjective noisiness or loudness of a sound and its level. Each 0-decibel increase in sound level is perceived as approximately a doubling of loudness over a wide range of amplitudes. Because decibels are logarithmic units, sound pressure levels are not added arithmetically. When two sounds of equal sound pressure level are added, the result is a sound pressure level that is db higher. For example, if the sound level were 0 db when,000 cars pass by, then it would be db when,000 cars pass the observer. Doubling the amount of energy would result in a db increase to the sound level. December 0.- SCH# 0000

4 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Table.-: Definitions of Acoustical Terms Term Decibel (db) Sound Pressure Level Frequency (Hz) A-Weighted Sound Level (dba) Equivalent Noise Level (L eq ) Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) Day/Night Noise Level (L dn ) L 0, L 0, L 0, L 0 Ambient Noise Level Intrusive Definition A unit describing the amplitude of sound, equal to 0 times the logarithm to the base 0 of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure. The reference pressure for air is 0 micro Pascals. Sound pressure is the sound force per unit area, usually expressed in micro Pascals (or micro Newtons per square meter), where Pascal is the pressure resulting from a force of Newton exerted over an area of square meter. The sound pressure level is expressed in decibels as 0 times the logarithm to the base 0 of the ratio between the pressures exerted by the sound to a reference sound pressure (e.g., 0 micro Pascals in air). Sound pressure level is the quantity that is directly measured by a sound level meter. The number of complete pressure fluctuations per second above and below atmospheric pressure. Normal human hearing is between 0 Hz and 0,000 Hz. Infrasonic sounds are below 0 Hz and ultrasonic sounds are above 0,000 Hz. The sound pressure level in decibels as measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighting filter network. The A-weighting filter de-emphasizes the very low and very high frequency components of the sound in a manner similar to the frequency response of the human ear and correlates well with subjective reactions to noise. The average A-weighted noise level during the measurement period. The hourly L eq used for this report is denoted as dba L eq[h]. The average A-weighted noise level during a -hour day, obtained after addition of decibels to sound levels in the evening from :00 p.m. to 0:00 p.m. and after addition of 0 decibels to sound levels in the night between 0:00 p.m. and :00 a.m. The average A-weighted noise level during a -hour day, obtained after addition of 0 decibels to levels measured in the night between 0:00 p.m. and :00 a.m. The A-weighted noise levels that are exceeded %, 0%, 0%, and 0% of the time during the measurement period. The composite of noise from all sources near and far. The normal or existing level of environmental noise at a given location. That noise which intrudes over and above the existing ambient noise at a given location. The relative intrusiveness of a sound depends upon its amplitude, duration, frequency, time of occurrence, and tonal or informational content, as well as the prevailing ambient noise level. Frequency relates to the number of pressure oscillations per second, or Hertz (Hz). The range of sound frequencies that can be heard by healthy human ears is from about 0 Hz at the low frequency end to 0,000 Hz (0 kilohertz [khz]) at the high frequency end. SCH# December 0

5 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise There are several methods for characterizing sound. The most common is the A-weighted sound level or dba. This scale gives greater weight to the frequencies of sound to which the human ear is most sensitive. Studies have shown that the A-weighted level is closely correlated with annoyance to noise. Other frequency weighting networks, such as C weighting or dbc, have been devised to describe noise levels for specific types of noise (e.g., explosives). Table.- shows typical A-weighted noise levels that occur in human environments. Table.-: Typical Noise Levels in the Environment Common Outdoor Noise Source Jet fly-over at 00 meters Noise Level (dba) 0 dba 0 dba Common Indoor Noise Source Rock concert Pile driver at 0 meters 00 dba Night club with live music 0 dba Large truck passes by at meters 0 dba Noisy restaurant Garbage disposal at meter Gas lawn mower at 0 meters 0 dba Vacuum cleaner at meters Commercial/Urban area daytime Normal speech at meter Suburban expressway at 0 meters 0 dba Suburban daytime Active office environment 0 dba Urban area nighttime Quiet office environment 0 dba Suburban nighttime Quiet rural areas 0 dba Library Quiet bedroom at night Wilderness area 0 dba 0 dba Quiet recording studio Threshold of human hearing 0 dba Threshold of human hearing December 0.- SCH# 0000

6 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Noise Descriptors Because sound levels can vary markedly over a short period of time, a method for describing either the average character of the sound or the statistical behavior of the variations is utilized. Most commonly, environmental sounds are described in terms of an average level that has the same acoustical energy as the summation of all the time-varying events. This energy-equivalent sound/noise descriptor is called L eq. A common averaging period is hourly, but L eq can describe any series of noise events of arbitrary duration. The scientific instrument used to measure noise is the sound level meter. Sound level meters can accurately measure environmental noise levels to within approximately plus or minus dba. Two metrics describe the -hour average, L dn and CNEL (defined in Table.-). Both include penalties for noise during the nighttime, and CNEL penalizes noise during the evening. CNEL and L dn are normally within dba of each other and are used interchangeably in this section.... Human Response to Noise Studies have shown that under controlled conditions in an acoustics laboratory, a healthy human ear is able to discern changes in sound levels of dba. In the normal environment, the healthy human ear can detect changes of about dba; however, it is widely accepted that changes of dba in the normal environment are considered just noticeable to most people. A change of dba is readily perceptible, and a change of 0 dba is perceived as being twice as loud.... Sound Propagation When sound propagates over a distance, it changes in both level and frequency content. The manner in which noise is reduced with distance depends on the following important factors: Geometric spreading. Sound from a single source (i.e., a point source) radiates uniformly outward as it travels away from the source in a spherical pattern. The sound level attenuates (or drops off) at a rate of dba for each doubling of distance. Highway noise is not a single stationary point source of sound. The movement of vehicles on a highway makes the source of the sound appear to emanate from a line (i.e., a line source) rather than from a point. This results in cylindrical spreading rather than the spherical spreading resulting from a point source. The change in sound level (i.e. attenuation) from a line source is dba per doubling of distance. Ground absorption. Usually the noise path between the source and the observer is very close to the ground. Noise attenuation from ground absorption and reflective wave canceling adds to the attenuation because of geometric spreading. Traditionally, the excess attenuation has also been expressed in terms of attenuation per doubling of distance. This approximation is done for simplification only; for distances of less than 0 meters (00 ft), prediction results based on this scheme are sufficiently accurate. For acoustically hard sites (i.e., sites with a reflective surface, such as a parking lot or a smooth body of water, between the source and the receiver), no excess ground attenuation is assumed. For acoustically absorptive or soft sites (i.e., sites with an absorptive ground surface, such as soft dirt, grass, or scattered bushes and trees), an excess ground attenuation value of. dba per doubling of distance is normally assumed. When added to the geometric spreading, the excess ground attenuation results SCH# December 0

7 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise in an overall drop-off rate of. dba per doubling of distance for a line source and. dba per doubling of distance for a point source. Atmospheric effects. Research by Caltrans and others has shown that atmospheric conditions can have a major effect on noise levels. Wind has been shown to be the single most important meteorological factor within approximately 0 meters (00 ft), whereas vertical air temperature gradients are more important over longer distances. Other factors, such as air temperature, humidity, and turbulence, also have major effects. Receivers located downwind from a source can be exposed to increased noise levels relative to calm conditions, whereas locations upwind can have lower noise levels. Increased sound levels can also occur because of temperature inversion conditions (i.e., increasing temperature with elevation, or cooler air near the surface, where the sound source tends to be and warmer air above which acts as a cap, causing a reflection of ground level generated sound). Shielding by natural or human-made features. A large object or barrier in the path between a noise source and a receiver can substantially attenuate noise levels at the receiver. The amount of attenuation provided by this shielding depends on the size of the object, proximity to the noise source and receiver, surface weight, solidity, and the frequency content of the noise source. Natural terrain features (such as hills and dense woods) and human-made features (such as buildings and walls) can substantially reduce noise levels. Walls are often constructed between a source and a receiver specifically to reduce noise. A barrier that breaks the line of sight between a source and a receiver will typically result in at least db of noise reduction. A higher barrier may provide as much as 0 db of noise reduction.... Existing Noise Environment The proposed Project site is located on Terminal Island within an industrial area in the Fish Harbor region of the Port. The site is within the Port of Los Angeles Plan area of in the City of Los Angeles, which is adjacent to the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington. The site is generally bounded on the north by Terminal Way, the Pier 00 Shallow Water Habitat on the east, Earle Street on the west, and the Pier 00 Channel on the south. Noise in the proposed Project site is characterized by periodic increases in noise levels associated with adjacent container terminal and industrial uses, railroad train movements along the various railroad lines in the area, vehicular traffic on the local street network and the freeways, industrial noise sources, and activities at the Port. The noise environment at any particular location depends upon proximity to the various noise sources, although traffic noise is the predominant noise source in the Project area. Some noise-sensitive receivers are also located near the rail corridors in the environs of the Port. For the purpose of this report, noise-sensitive receivers are defined as residences, schools, hospitals, libraries, places of worship, and public parks. Figure.- shows noisesensitive receivers in the Project vicinity. The nearest residential area outside of the Port is located more than one mile to the west, across the Main Channel of the Los Angeles Harbor. There are also Port-related residential uses at Reservation Point and in the Cabrillo Beach area, along with liveaboard boats in Fish Harbor and the Cerritos Channel just west of the Terminal Island Freeway (State Route ) Bridge. For the purposes of noise impact analysis, the area of influence includes those sensitive receptors closest to the proposed Project site, which might potentially be affected by construction noise or December 0.- SCH# 0000

8 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department ST- ST- LT- ST- ST- ST- LT- LT- ST- LT- ST- ST- LT- Figure.-: Noise Measurement Locations LEGEND LT-#: Long Term (consecutive hourly) Measurement Locations ST-#: Short Term (Spot) Measurement Locations SCH# December 0

9 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise noise associated with traffic generated by the proposed Project or an alternative and sensitive receptors along major transportation corridors serving the Project area.... Noise Monitoring Noise monitoring surveys were conducted in March/April 00 and September 00 to quantify existing ambient noise levels at representative locations near the Project area and major transportation corridors serving the Project area. Noise levels were monitored during the daytime, evening, and nighttime in consecutive hourly intervals at several locations (long-term monitoring locations are denoted by LT, specifically, LT-, LT-, L, LT-, and LT-), which are indicated on Figure.- and discussed below. The results of the noise measurements are shown in Figures.- through.-. The figures provide the range of noise levels measured during each hour depicted by the statistical descriptors L 0, L 0, L 0, and L 0, as well as the maximum noise level and the energy average or equivalent sound level, L eq(h). Although not required, the statistical noise levels (L n ) were obtained to provide further perspective on background noise levels. The measured CNEL, the -hour (day/evening/night) average noise level, also is shown in each figure. Measurement LT- was made on a pylon at the end of a residential pier within the Island Yacht Anchorage liveaboard community at an approximate distance of 0 yards to rail cars on the adjacent railroad bridge and 0 yards to trucks passing on the adjacent freeway bridge. This location is representative of the closest residences to the rail and road bridges across the Cerritos Channel. The primary noise source at this location was rail and truck traffic on the bridges crossing the Cerritos Channel. The hourly trends in noise levels measured between :00 p.m. on Monday September, 00 and :00 p.m. on Tuesday September, 00, including the energy equivalent noise level (L eq ), and the noise levels exceeded 0, 0, 0 and 0 percent of the time (indicated as L 0, L 0, L 0 and L 0 ), are shown on Figure.-. The daytime and nighttime average (L eq ) noise levels at this location ranged from 0 to dba and to dba, respectively, with an average daytime L eq of dba and an average nighttime L eq of 0 dba. The CNEL at this location was dba. Measurement LT- was made on a pylon at the end of a residential pier E within the Al Larson Marina liveaboard community, at an approximate distance of 00 ft to the westernmost (closest) portion of the proposed Project site. This location is representative of the closest Port-related residences to the proposed Project site. The primary noise source at this location was local activities at the marina, and activities at the adjacent Al Larson boat repair facility. Occasional Port-related activities were also audible at this location. The hourly trends in noise levels measured between :00 p.m. on Monday September, 00 and :00 p.m. on Tuesday September, 00, including the energy equivalent noise level (L eq ) and the noise levels exceeded 0, 0, 0 and 0 percent of the time (indicated as L 0, L 0, L 0 and L 0 ), are shown on Figure.-. The daytime and nighttime average (L eq ) noise levels at this location ranged from to dba and to 0 dba, respectively, with an average daytime L eq of dba and an average nighttime L eq of dba. The CNEL at this location was dba. December 0.- SCH# 0000

10 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Figure.-: Hourly Noise Levels at LT- December 0.-0 SCH# 0000

11 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise Figure.-: Hourly Noise Levels at LT- December 0.- SCH# 0000

12 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Figure.-: Hourly Noise Levels at LT- December 0.- SCH# 0000

13 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise Figure.-: Hourly Noise Levels at LT- December 0.- SCH# 0000

14 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Figure.-: Hourly Noise Levels at LT- December 0.- SCH# 0000

15 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise Measurement LT- was made on a light standard at the corner of South Beacon Street and West th Street in the San Pedro residential district, at an approximate distance of,000 ft to the westernmost (closest) portion of the proposed Project site. This location is representative of the closest residences within San Pedro to the proposed Project site. The primary noise source at this location was local traffic on Beacon Street and more distant traffic on Harbor Boulevard. Port-related noise was not distinctly audible at this location. The hourly trends in noise levels measured between :00 p.m. on Monday September, 00 and :00 p.m. on Tuesday September, 00, including the energy equivalent noise level (L eq ) and the noise levels exceeded 0, 0, 0 and 0 percent of the time (indicated as L 0, L 0, L 0 and L 0 ), are shown on Figure.-. The daytime and nighttime average (L eq ) noise levels at this location ranged from to dba and to dba, respectively with an average daytime L eq of dba and an average nighttime L eq of dba. The CNEL at this location was dba. Measurement LT- was located at the intersection of Oliver Vickery Circle Way and Stephen M. White Drive, approximately ft from the centerline of Stephen M. White Drive. This location is representative of the noise environment at residences in the Cabrillo Beach area. The primary noise source at this location was local traffic. Port-related noise was not distinctly audible at this location. The hourly trends in noise levels measured between :00 p.m. on Friday March, 00, and :00 p.m. on Monday March, 00, including the energy equivalent noise level (L eq ) and the noise levels exceeded 0, 0, 0 and 0 percent of the time (indicated as L 0, L 0, L 0 and L 0 ), are shown on Figure.-. Typical hourly average daytime noise levels ranged from to dba L eq and nighttime noise levels typically ranged from to dba L eq. The calculated CNEL for the entire measurement period was dba, with the CNEL over the weekend days at 0 to dba, and the calculated CNEL for an equivalent weekday period of dba. Measurement LT- was located at the Federal housing facility on Reservation Point, approximately 0 ft from the nearest residence. The primary noise sources at this location were local facility and Port-related activities. The hourly trends in noise levels measured between :00 p.m. on Friday March, 00 and :00 p.m. on Monday March, 00, including the energy equivalent noise level (L eq ) and the noise levels exceeded 0, 0, 0 and 0 percent of the time (indicated as L 0, L 0, L 0 and L 0 ), are shown on Figure.-. Typical hourly average daytime noise levels ranged from to dba L eq and nighttime noise levels typically ranged from to dba L eq. The calculated CNEL for the entire measurement period was dba, with the CNEL over the weekend days and calculated for an equivalent weekday period also at dba. Short-term (ST) noise measurements were made at representative locations (depicted as Sites ST- through ST- in Figure.-). The results of the short-term noise level measurements are summarized in Table.-. Site ST- was at the Anchorage Road Frontage of the Island Yacht Anchorage liveaboard community at an approximate distance of yards to rail cars on the adjacent railroad bridge and yards to trucks passing on the adjacent freeway bridge. Truck traffic on the Terminal Island Freeway Bridge and rail traffic on the rail bridge was the dominant noise source at this location, typically producing levels between and dba. December 0.- SCH# 0000

16 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Site ST- was at the Terminal Island Memorial south of the Al Larson Boat Dock near Firehouse and approximately,00 ft west of the westernmost portion of the proposed Project site. The primary noise source at this location was local traffic on Seaside Avenue at between to dba. Other measurable noise sources at this location were activities at the adjacent firehouse at between to dba, bird and sea lion sounds at between to dba, and a passing tugboat at between to dba. Though unloading activities at both Piers 00 and 00 were observed during the measurement period, these activities were not audible or measurable over other area ambient noise. Site ST- was at the linear park along South Harbor Boulevard, 0 ft from the centerline of the roadway and approximately,00 ft from the mid-point of the closer of two cargo ships that was being unloaded by two gantry cranes at the Evergreen Terminal on the opposite side of the Main Channel from the measurement position. Measurements at this position were made on an intermittent basis between auto traffic on South Harbor Boulevard over a 0-minute period. Constant crane operation produced noise levels of between and dba at the measurement location, with noise produced by typical setting of containers at levels of up to dba, and banging of containers during movements and setting typically between and 0, with one event reaching dba. During the measurement period a tugboat also passed through the channel producing a level of dba; ground based, truck loading, cranes produced sound levels between and dba; and back up beepers were audible, but not measurable over ambient conditions. Site ST- was at the northeast corner of the Firehouse wharf, approximately 00 ft from the centerline of South Harbor Boulevard, and,00 ft from the mid-point of the closest of two cargo ships that was being unloaded by two gantry cranes at the Evergreen Terminal and yards from ground based containers on the opposite side of the main channel. Roadway traffic noise was not a significant noise source at this measurement position. The operation of crane engines produced noise levels of between and dba at the measurement location, with gear noise occasionally to to dba, and banging of containers during movements and setting typically between and. A ship horn was also heard, producing a level of to dba. Truck movements at the opposite shore of the channels and the banging of ground-based containers were audible at this position producing sound levels of between and 0 dba. During the measurement period a tugboat and another small craft also passed through the channel producing levels of between to dba. Site ST- was at the northeast corner of the police training area north of Firehouse, approximately 00 ft from the centerline of South Harbor Boulevard, and,00 ft from the mid-point of the closest of two cargo ships that was being unloaded by two gantry cranes at the Evergreen Terminal. Roadway traffic noise was not a significant noise source at this measurement position; however, a siren on Harbor Boulevard did produce a level of dba. The operation of crane engines produced noise levels of between and dba at the measurement location, with the occasional banging of containers during movements and setting typically between and, with loud bangs up to dba at times. Truck accelerations and air brakes on the opposite shore of the channel were also audible, producing sound levels of between and dba. During the measurement period a tugboat passed through the channel producing levels of between to dba. SCH# December 0

17 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise 0 Site ST- was made at the corner of East Young Street and East Grant Street in the neighborhood opposite the railroad from the intersection of Alameda Street and Henry Ford Avenue. The measurement position was approximately 0 ft from center of the rail line heading northeast, approximately ft from center of rail line crossing the roadways, ft from the centerline of Alameda Street, and ft from the centerline of Henry Ford Avenue. Truck and rail traffic were the dominant noise sources at this location, with trucks producing average noise levels between to dba and maximum noise levels between to dba, and train engines producing noise levels of between to dba and train horns reaching maximum levels of to dba. Site ST- was located in front of 0 Stephen M. White Drive, approximately 0 ft to the center of the roadway. Local traffic and small aircraft were the predominant sources of noise during the survey. Port-related noise was not audible at this location. Site ST- was located adjacent to LT-, at the southeast end of Reservation Point, approximately 0 ft from the nearest residence. Aircraft and wind were the predominant sources of noise during the survey. Port-related noise was not a major source of noise at this location. Table.-: Short-Term Noise Monitoring Results Site ST- ST- ST- ST- ST- ST- ST- ST- Location, (Date, Time) Anchorage Road Frontage of the Island Yacht Anchorage. (//0,:-:) Terminal Island Memorial (//0,:-:) South Harbor Blvd Linear Park (//0,:0-:0) Firehouse wharf (//0,:-:0) Police training area north of Firehouse (//0,0:0-0:) Corner of East Young & East Grant Streets (//0, :0-:) 0 ft from the center of Stephen M. White Drive. (//0, :0-:) Southeast end of Reservation Point. (//0, :-:00) Source: Illingworth & Rodkin, Inc., 00 Noise Level, dba L 0 L 0 L eq L 0 L 0 0 Noise Sources Railroad and truck traffic over the Cerritos channel bridges. Local traffic, firehouse, bird & sea lion activities Local traffic and ship unloading 0 Ship unloading and other port activities Ship unloading and other port activities Truck and rail traffic Local traffic and aircraft 0 Aircraft and wind December 0.- SCH# 0000

18 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Applicable Regulations The LA CEQA Thresholds Guide (City of Los Angeles, 00) includes the following checklist questions regarding environmental noise impacts: a. Would the project result in exposure of persons to or generation of noise levels in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies? b. Would the project result in exposure of persons to or generation of excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels? c. Would the project result in a substantial permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above levels existing without the project? d. A substantial temporary or periodic increase in ambient noise levels in the project vicinity above the existing without the project? e. For a project located within an airport land use plan, or where such a plan has not been adopted within two miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels? f. For a project within the vicinity of a private airstrip, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels? Significance criteria are established to address questions a, c, and d for potential noise impacts during each of the two stages of construction and operation proposed for the proposed Project and alternatives. Question b would not apply because groundborne noise and vibrations attenuate through the change in ground motility when passing under water covered areas (i.e. the channels at the Port), and because there are no sensitive receptors on the proposed Project side of water filled channels. Questions e and f are not applicable to this assessment. Background information is presented in the following paragraphs regarding applicable or related regulations adopted by the City of Los Angeles or other agencies.... City of Los Angeles Municipal Code Section.0 of the City of Los Angeles Municipal Code establishes when construction work is prohibited. The Municipal Code section states the following: (a) No person shall between the hours of :00 p.m. and :00 a.m. of the following day perform any construction or repair work of any kind upon or any excavating for, any building or structure, where any of the foregoing entails the use of any power-driven drill, driven machine, excavator, or any other machine, tool, device, or equipment which makes loud noises to the disturbance of persons occupying sleeping quarters in any dwelling, hotel, or apartment or other place of residence. In addition, the operation, repair or servicing of construction equipment and the jobsite delivering of construction materials in such areas shall be prohibited during the hours herein specified. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates the foregoing provision shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as elsewhere provided in this code. SCH# December 0

19 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise The code section also provides certain provisions for exceptions and exemptions. Chapter of the Municipal Code sets forth noise regulations, including regulations applicable to construction noise impacts. Section.0 establishes maximum noise levels for powered equipment or powered hand tools. This section states: Between the hours of :00 a.m. and 0:00 p.m. in any residential zone of the City or within 00 ft thereof, no person shall operate or cause to be operated any powered equipment or powered hand tool that produces a maximum noise level exceeding the following noise limits at a distance of 0 ft there from (a) dba for construction, industrial and agricultural machinery including crawler tractors, dozers, rotary drills and augers, loaders, power shovels, cranes, derricks, motor graders, paving machines, off-highway trucks, ditchers, trenchers, compactors, scrapers, wagons, pavement breakers, depressors, and pneumatic or other powered equipment; (b) dba for powered equipment of 0 horsepower or less intended for infrequent use in residential areas including chain saws, log chippers, and powered hand tools; and (c) dba for powered equipment intended for repetitive use in residential areas including lawn mowers, backpack mowers, small lawn and garden tools, and riding tractors. The noise limits for particular equipment listed above in (a), (b) and (c) shall be deemed to be superseded and replaced by noise limits for such equipment from and after their establishment by final regulations adopted by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and published in the Federal Register. Said noise limitations shall not apply where compliance therewith is technically infeasible. The burden of proving that compliance is technically infeasible shall be upon the person or persons charged with a violation of this section. Technical infeasibility shall mean that said noise limitations cannot be complied with despite the use of mufflers, shields, sound barriers, and/or other noise reduction device and techniques during the operation of the equipment. Section.0 of the Municipal Code addresses the powered equipment intended for repetitive use in residential areas and other machinery, equipment, and devices. That section establishes criteria for stationary noise source intrusion on neighboring lands. The applicable standard threshold under this section is a dba increase at any sensitive property. December 0.- SCH# 0000

20 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Impacts and... Methodology... CEQA Baseline Section of the CEQA Guidelines requires EIRs to include a description of the physical environmental conditions in the vicinity of a project that exist at the time of the NOP. These environmental conditions normally would constitute the baseline physical conditions by which the CEQA lead agency determines if an impact is significant. For purposes of this Draft EIS/EIR, the CEQA baseline for determining the significance of potential Project impacts is the environmental set of conditions that prevailed at the time the NOP was published for the proposed Project - July 00. The CEQA baseline takes into account the throughput for the -month period preceding July 00 (July 00 through the end of June 00) in order to provide a representative characterization of activity levels throughout the year. The CEQA baseline conditions are described in Section... The CEQA baseline for this proposed Project includes approximately. million TEUs per year,, annual truck trips, and annual ship calls that occurred on the -acre APL Terminal in the year prior to and including June 00. The CEQA baseline represents the setting at a fixed point in time and differs from the No Project Alternative (Alternative ) in that the No Project Alternative addresses what is likely to happen at the proposed Project site over time, starting from the existing conditions. Therefore, the No Project Alternative allows for growth at the proposed Project site that could be expected to occur without additional approvals, whereas the CEQA baseline does not.... NEPA Baseline For purposes of this Draft EIS/EIR, the evaluation of significance under NEPA is defined by comparing the proposed Project or other alternative to the NEPA baseline. The NEPA baseline conditions are described in Section... Briefly, the NEPA baseline condition for determining significance of impacts includes the full range of construction and operational activities the applicant could implement and is likely to implement absent a federal action, in this case the issuance of a USACE permit. The NEPA baseline includes minor terminal improvements in the upland area (i.e., conversion of a portion of the dry container storage unit area to reefers and utility infrastructure), operation of the -acre container terminal, and assumes that by 0, the terminal (Berths 0 to 0) handles up to approximately. million TEUs annually and accommodates annual ships calls and, on-way rail trips, without any federal action. Because the NEPA baseline is dynamic, it includes different levels of terminal operations at each study year (0, 0, 00, 0, and 0). Unlike the CEQA baseline, which is defined by conditions at a point in time, the NEPA baseline is not bound by statute to a flat or no-growth scenario. Therefore, the USACE could project increases in operations over the life of a project to properly describe the NEPA baseline condition. Normally, any federal permit decision would focus on direct impacts of the proposed Project to the aquatic environment, as well as indirect and cumulative impacts in the uplands determined to be within the scope of federal control and responsibility. Significance of the proposed Project or alternative SCH# December 0

21 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise under NEPA is defined by comparing the proposed Project or alternative to the NEPA baseline (i.e., the increment). The NEPA baseline, for purposes of this Draft EIS/EIR, is the same as the No Federal Action Alternative. Under the No Federal Action Alternative, only minor terminal improvements (utility infrastructure, and conversion of dry container storage to refrigerated container storage) would occur, but no new cranes would be added, and the terminal configuration would remain as it was configured in 00 ( acres, A-frame cranes, and a,000-ft wharf). However, forecasted increases in cargo throughput and annual ship calls would still occur as container growth occurs.... Thresholds of Significance The L.A. CEQA Thresholds Guide (City of Los Angeles, 00) contains the following significance thresholds related to construction noise. These thresholds were used for evaluating potential impacts under CEQA and NEPA. Quantification of ambient noise levels (existing and projected at the time of construction) is measured in CNEL. A project or alternative would normally have a significant impact on noise levels from construction during the daytime if: NOI- Construction activities lasting more than day would exceed existing ambient exterior noise levels by 0 dba or more at a noise-sensitive use; or if construction activities lasting more than 0 days in a -month period would exceed existing ambient exterior noise levels by dba or more at a noise-sensitive use. A project or alternative would normally have a significant impact on noise levels from construction during the nighttime if: NOI- Construction activities would exceed the ambient noise level by dba at a noise-sensitive use between the hours of :00 p.m. and :00 a.m. Monday through Friday, before :00 a.m. or after :00 p.m. on Saturday, or at any time on Sunday. The L.A. CEQA Thresholds Guide (City of Los Angeles, 00) contains the following significance thresholds for operational noise impacts due to stationary sources, vehicular traffic, or increased railroad operations. NOI- A project or alternative would normally have a significant impact on noise levels from project operations if the project causes the ambient noise level measured at the property line of affected uses to increase by dba in CNEL to or within the normally unacceptable or clearly unacceptable category, or any dba or greater noise increase. 0 Table.- presents the land use noise compatibility guidelines. Sensitive receivers in the Port area that could potentially be affected by operational noise from the proposed Project or alternative include various residential uses. At these land uses, a significant impact would occur if the proposed Project or alternative causes CNEL noise levels to increase by () dba or greater where the existing CNEL is less than 0 dba; or () dba or greater where the existing CNEL exceeds 0 dba. December 0.- SCH# 0000

22 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department Table.-: Land Use Noise Compatibility Guidelines Community Noise Exposure CNEL, db Land Use Normally Acceptable Conditionally Acceptable Normally Unacceptable Clearly Unacceptable Single-Family, Duplex, Mobile Homes above 0 Multifamily Homes above 0 Schools, Libraries, Churches, Hospitals, Nursing Homes above 0 Playgrounds, Neighborhoods Parks above Source: City of Los Angeles, Normally Acceptable: Specified land use is satisfactory, based on the assumption that any buildings involved are of normal conventional construction without any special noise insulation requirements. Conditionally Acceptable: New construction or development should be undertaken only after a detailed analysis of the noise reduction requirements is made and needed noise insulation features included in the design. Conventional construction, but with closed windows and fresh air supply systems or air conditioning, will normally suffice. Normally Unacceptable: New construction or development generally should be discouraged. If new construction or development does proceed, a detailed analysis of the noise reduction requirements must be made and needed noise insulation features included in the design. Clearly Unacceptable: New construction or development generally should not be undertaken Impact Determination... Proposed Project Impact NOI-: Construction activities lasting more than 0 days in a -month period would exceed existing ambient exterior noise levels by dba or more at a noise-sensitive use. Noise levels generated by construction equipment will vary greatly depending on factors such as the type of equipment, the specific model, the operation being performed, and the condition of the equipment. The equivalent sound level (L eq ) of the construction activity also depends on the fraction of time that the equipment is operated over the time period of construction. The dominant source of noise from most construction equipment is the engine. In a few cases, such as impact pile driving or pavement-breaking, noise generated by the process dominates. Table.- shows the noise levels for a variety of construction equipment at a reference distance of 0 ft. These reference sound levels are representative of the noise levels that would occur during the noisiest construction activities. Should automated backlands be established, the level of construction activity to complete those improvements would be less intense (i.e, would not involve pile driving or occur concurrently with other on-site construction activities) as compared to the construction levels discussed in the impact analysis for the proposed Project, and thus would not represent the noisiest construction activity. During construction, the overall average noise levels vary with the level of construction activity, the types of equipment that are on-site and operating at a particular time, and the proximity of the construction equipment to noise sensitive land uses. Hourly average noise levels are estimates based on a typical complement of construction equipment that would be expected to be on-site to complete the various proposed Project components. SCH# December 0

23 Los Angeles Harbor Department Section. Noise Table.-: Construction Equipment Noise Emission Levels Equipment Type Typical Noise Level (db(a)) 0 ft from Source Air Compressor Backhoe 0 Ballast Equalizer Ballast Tamper Compactor Concrete Mixer Concrete Pump Concrete Vibrator Crane, Derrick Crane, Mobile Dozer Generator Grader Impact Wrench Jack Hammer Loader Paver Pile-driver (Impact) 0* Pile-driver (Sonic) Pneumatic Tool Pump Rail Saw 0 Rock Drill Roller Saw Scarifier Scraper Shovel Spike Driver Tie Cutter Tie Handler 0 Tie Inserter Truck Source: USDOT and FTA, May 00 * POLA, November 00 0 Construction activities are expected to last more than 0 days in any -month period for all proposed Project components. Following the thresholds of significance, an impact would be considered significant under CEQA and NEPA if noise from these activities would cause the existing ambient exterior noise levels to increase by dba or more at a sensitive receptor. During peak construction, construction worker based vehicle trips are expected to represent a small fraction ( to 0 percent) of the AM and PM peak hour traffic volumes in the Project area. This small fraction of vehicles compared to the overall traffic in the Project area would not result in a noticeable increase in noise levels (a doubling of traffic would be required for a minimally audible dba increase in noise to occur). Therefore, traffic generated from construction worker trips would be considered a less than significant impact. December 0.- SCH# 0000

24 Section. Noise Los Angeles Harbor Department 0 To assess construction noise exposure at noise sensitive locations, a composite of the noise level data for construction equipment presented in Table.- was used to develop resulting noise levels at identified noise-sensitive receptors, taking into consideration the effects of distance attenuation. For general construction equipment, a combined level of dba at 0 ft was used as the source noise level. For assessing pile driving, a noise level of 0 dba at 0 ft was used based on the large size of piles typically used for wharf construction. Distances from construction locations to sensitive receptors were measured on a map of the area and those distances were input to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Roadway Construction Noise Model (RCNM) as the basis for calculating noise attenuation with distance (FHWA, 00).. This model provides for multiple noise sources, as well as shielding by natural or man-made obstacles that would reduce sound levels over distance. However, no shielding was assumed, even though there are obstacles of various types (buildings, other structures, tanks, etc.) between some source locations and some receptors. Using the FHWA noise model, which calculates an Leq based on reference noise levels, all five identified noise sensitive areas in the Project vicinity were assessed for exposure to construction noise. These areas and the resultant Leq are summarized in Table.- below. Table.-: Summary of Construction Noise Impacts Noise Sensitive (residential) Area Assoc. Meas. Location Existing daytime Leq (dba) Construction Noise at location Total (Ambient Total (Ambient Construction Noise plus ambient increase over Existing Gen. Const. dba* Pile Driver 0 dba* + Gen. Constr.) + Impact) Gen. Const. Impact Cerritos Channel LT Fish Harbor LT- San Pedro LT- 0 0 Cabrillo Beach LT- 0 0 Reservation Point LT- 0 0 Notes: * the reference noise level of dba or 0 dba at 0 ft from the source. Total Ambient + Impact is the ambient noise condition plus the pile driving (i.e. impact) noise at the given receptor location. 0 0 CEQA Impact Determination As shown in Table.-, general construction noise would not increase the existing ambient noise levels at any identified noise receptor in the proposed Project area by dba or more; however, noise produced by pile driving during wharf construction would increase average ambient noise levels at Reservation Point by dba over existing levels. These impacts would be temporary, but significant under CEQA. MM NOI-: Noise Reduction during Pile Driving. The contractor shall be required to use a pile driving system, such as a Bruce hammer (with silencing kit), an IHC Hydrohammer SC series (with sound insulation system), or equivalent silenced hammer, which is capable of limiting maximum noise levels at 0 ft from the pile driver to 0 dba, or less, for wharf construction. With implementation of standard condition of approval SC BIO-, the pile driving would initiate with a soft start, in which the hammer is operated at a reduced energy, followed by a SCH# December 0