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About Us

Founding

NoiseOFF was founded in 2004 by Richard Tur.

While the project began with individual initiative, no single person or organization represents the issue of noise pollution.

The information presented here reflects the many contributions of activists, researchers, academics, legislators, and law enforcement.

Funding

NoiseOFF is independently funded through private, non-commercial sources. We are not affiliated with any corporations, government agencies or non-government agencies, ensuring that the information we provide remains unbiased.

Background

NoiseOFF began in 2004, when informal email groups allowed people across the country to share research, compare experiences, and recognize common noise problems affecting communities of all sizes. Whether in large cities, suburbs, or small towns, many individuals were facing the same disruptive sources of noise.

The most frequently reported issues involved boom cars, car alarms, and vehicles with aftermarket exhaust systems. Other concerns include barking dogs, leaf blowers, engine brakes, construction activity, outdoor shooting ranges, military installations, nightclubs, bars and cafés, airports, low-frequency emergency sirens, public transportation systems, and noise from nearby commercial or industrial operations.

Acknowledgments

Jeff McCulley, with a foreword by Jeff Rustowicz, authored a valuable resource titled Loud Motorcycles: A Simple and Effective Regulatory Measure for States and Municipalities to Control Motorcycle Noise by Utilizing the EPA’s Dormant “Label Match-Up” Program. It offers a practical framework for policymakers and law enforcement.

Three individuals, now deceased, made significant contributions to the understanding of noise pollution and the advancement of public awareness.

Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D. was a leading researcher whose work on the effects of noise on children’s learning helped shape modern noise policy. Her research, advisory work, and legislative contributions in New York City remain widely cited and referenced.

Michael Phillip Wright was a musician, researcher, and activist who documented some of the earliest evidence of how the car-audio industry marketed its products. Beginning in 1997, he collected and scanned print advertisements that promoted antisocial behavior through the use of “boom cars,” publishing them on his website.

Robert Alex Baron was an early advocate for noise control and author of The Tyranny of Noise (1970), one of the first major works to explore the issue in depth. He dedicated his career to public education and policy advocacy. As founder of Citizens for a Quieter City, he testified before Congress and lectured widely in the United States and Europe.

Affiliation

NoiseOFF has no affiliation with, and does not endorse, any commercial products or companies using similar names.