April 20, 1978
University Park, PA.--How
much would you be willing to
pay for a little more peace and
quiet?
For the past several years, a
Pennsylvania State University
economist has been trying to
determine how homeowners
in various locations would
answer that question, in an
attempt to put a price tag on
noise pollution controls.
Now Dr. Jon P. Nelson,
associate professor of econo
mics, has written a book
summarizing his own research
and the work of other
specialists in the field.
Entitled, "Economic Anal
ysis of Transportation Noise
Abatement," it is the first
comprehensive economic study
of U.S. noise pollution pro
blems.
Among other things, Dr.
Nelson points out that:
--Noise pollution is be
coming increasingly offensive
May Is
High Blood
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During High Blood
Pressure Month hundreds
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organizations, civic and
medical groups are
involved in educating the
general public, patients,
and health professionals on
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High Blood Pressure Month
will be on convincing
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That's why, according to
Ward, the slogan for May is,
"High Blood Pressure . . .
Treat It for Life."
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Noise Pollution A Problem
to Americans. However, there
is no evidence to date that
everyday noise from highway
or air traffic is a health hazard.
----Federal noise emissions
standards will become increa
singly stringent over the next
several years. Eventually, the
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) may even
regulate noise levels of such
household appliances as blen
ders and kitchen fans.
---Using property values
and other economic data, it is
possible to assign a dollar value
to the benefits derived form
proposed noise controls in
specific cases. For example,
existing EPA standards specify
that new medium and heavy
trucks emit no more than 83
decibels now, and no more than
80 by Jan. 1, 1982. EPA is
considering cutting the max
imum to 75 or 78 decibels in
1985, but according to Dr.
Nelson's figures, the benefits of
the additional cut probably
wouldn't justify its expense.
----Decibel taxes, levied
against companies whose
trucks or planes exceed
specified levels, might be more
effective than government
regulations and fixed standards
in limiting noise pollution.
Several other countries are
currently experimenting with
such taxes.
"The benefits are that a
decibel tax would avoid
treating polluters as criminals
but would appeal directly to
their self-interest. It would be
a positive economic incentive to
cut noise," Dr. Nelson says.
In the past, it has been
difficult to design noise
pollution controls because of a
lack of hard economic data.
Responses to surveys don't tell
how much a community would
be willing to pay--or what goods
and services people would
sacrifice--to bring noise from
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highway and air traffic under
control.
"If you live near an airport
and someone comes to your
door with a questionaire, you'll
probably say noise is a very
serious problem. It doesn't cost
anything to complain," Dr,
Nelson says.
There's nothing wrong with
that, he adds, except that it
doesn't tell government stan
dard-setters how far to go in
restricting noise emissions in
specific cases. There is almost
always a point beyond which
additional restrictions cost
more than they are worth.
In 1976-77, Dr. Nelson was a
member of the National
Academy of Sciences' Com
mittee on Appraisal of Societal
Consequences of Transporta
tion Noise Abatement. His
book was released this month
by Ballinger Publishing Co., a
subsidiary of J.B. Lippincott.
co-starting
CLIFF GORMAN
Middletown-The Continuing
Education Office of Penn State-
Capitol Campus announces that
"Two Sports Clinics: Power
Volleyball and Soccer" are
scheduled.
The purpose of the Power
Volleyball Clinic is to assist
young players between the
ages of 12-19 to aquire greater
skill and individual develop
ment in the sport through a
series of work sessions.
The Soccer Clinic is
designed to increase individual
and team skill of players
between the ages of 11 and 18.
European style of play and
team strategy are discussed as
well as participating in scrim
mages each day.
The Clinics take place on
Mon., June 26 . through Fri.,
June 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. in the gymnasium of the
Multi-Purpose Building.
The fee is $65 for each clinic,
which includes cost of instruc
tion, lunches, break drinks, and
a souvenir tee shirt.
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