-Hi.

I'm Eric ford for -made here Stowe, Vermont.

-Filmmaker -Karen Akin's latest film, -The Quietest Year, -explores noise pollution -against the backdrop -of the pandemic.

-She details her own -struggles, -as well as others, -in their quest -to curb noise pollution, -as well as looking -at the health effects -of noise and state -and national regulation.

-It's a personal -and fascinating -look at a subject -we don't often -think about in our daily -lives.

-You can watch The Quietest -Year and other great -made here films -streaming on our website -and through the PBS app.

-Enjoy the film -and thanks for watching.

-We are rolling.

-Let's wait a second, -till the helicopter goes by -One second.

-Are you -catching this guy?

-Oh, wow.

-That's nice.

-Can I talk about -how quiet it is right now?

-There's only about 2% -of the United States left -that you can be certain of.

-Peace and quiet.

-As a species, -we can really -make a racket.

-And then you add -air traffic to that.

-And there's almost no place -that's quiet.

-I'm originally -from Milton, Vermont.

-I grew up thinking -that Vermont -was this bastion of -quiet and solitude.

-It inspired me to pursue -a career -in acoustics and music.

-People come into this state -and really appreciate it -for what -I've always known it to be.

-But frankly, right now -I think -it's really at risk, given -what we -brought into this -particular state -and environment.

-Noise -has changed -over time significantly.

-You know, people -who are 20, -even 50 years -or 60 years old, -they kind of assume -that this is the way -the world has always been.

-I think you could say -that every year -was the noisiest year -in the history -of the world.

-We all make noise.

-Almost all of us -are driving a car -that's going to -make some noise.

-Some of the biggest noise -sources of transportation.

-The airline industry -is one of the biggest noise -polluters.

-Highway noise -is a great big -noise polluter.

-But really, it's all of us.

-Before the pandemic, -people were moving -in record numbers -to live and work in cities.

-One major -downside of urban living -is noise.

-The more human activity, -the more noise.

-Densely -populated cities have dealt -with these challenges -for years, -and have attempted -to enact protections -and regulations -to keep them livable.

-But even -in the countryside, -noise is a growing problem.

-Places that are very rural -still have kind of -that Western mentality.

-And it works to the extent -that if your neighbor is, -you know, a quarter -mile away, -you can make a -lot more noise -than if you're neighbors -100ft away.

-But the problem is that -we've continued to expand -into those areas, -and we're getting closer -and closer together, -but we're still acting -as if we're a -half a mile away.

-Since the 1800s, people -fled urban -living to make -their way to Vermont.

-There were successive waves -during the so-called -back to the land movement.

-The most well-known took -place in the 1970s.

-People still -flock to Vermont, -seeking a different way -of life, -away from the hustle -and bustle -and demands of the city.

-I arrived in 1969, -the weekend -of the Woodstock -Music Festival, -which I was headed toward, -but I heard about -how many crowds -there were and decided, -let's go to Burlington.

-One of the idealistic -young people -like Ben and Jerry -moved to Vermont -as students.

-These two -started a little ice -cream business -and did pretty -well for themselves.

-Ben is still there -fighting against -social injustice.

-And then there's Bernie, -the New York -born politician -who Vermont claims -as its own.

-One of the first thing -Vermonters say is, -you know -how long they've -lived in Vermont -or if they're a -native Vermonter.

-I would say, well, -I was not born in Vermont, -but I can promise you -I will die in Vermont.

-And the more -I learned about Vermont, -the more I realized -they were -environmentally -responsible.

-Now, Vermont's beauty isn't -just due -to its natural features.

-More than 50 years ago, -environmentalists -and business -leaders banded together -and pushed laws -to protect -the scenic environment.

-Vermont -even outlawed billboards.

-One of only four states -to do so.

-Along with strong -anti litter -and anti -sprawl regulations.

-Well, -most people think -when they hear -that I live in Vermont -that I've checked out -and that I live -in some kind of a -bucolic environment.

-They don't -really understand -too much about Vermont.

-It's a combination -of beautiful rural places.

-But then they're -little villages -in the river valleys -that are also very sweet.

-That's where I live.

-And a village.

-We moved here -back in the early 2000s, -and we were raising -a couple of kids.

-We lived in Austin, Texas.

-My husband -started to miss -winter sports.

-We decided -we wanted to live -in a little town -where kids could bike -and walk to school.

-We ended up and Stowe.

-I mean, look around you.

-This is Vermont.

-This is a beautiful state.

-It's the stuff -for calendars.

-It's picturesque.

-I moved to Brandon -four years ago.

-I was working in New York -and spending -a lot of my weekends -in Vermont.

-And Vermont is gorgeous.

-And I found this -beautiful 76 acre -farm in Brandon -and bought it.

-Started rescuing animals -that were -abused or neglected, -but really nature -and wanting to return to -the farm is -what what brought me here.

-But what I didn't know -was that -Vermont was the wild west -of noise ordinances.

-When we first moved -here, Stowe -had a real small town feel.

-And, -I think mostly -because of the pandemic.

-People fled the big cities -and decided -that they wanted -to live someplace -with more space.

-A lot of people -moved to the area, -and it's -really booming now.

-There's a lot -of construction.

-Every single dump -truck full of gravel -that goes by to -one of those -construction sites -goes right in -front of our house.

-There's no noise -ordinance in Stowe.

-I mean, -who looks for a town -to live in -and consults the bylaws -to see -if there's a -noise ordinance?

-I mean, I just had no idea.

-Vermont does set noise -limits for off road -recreational vehicles -like snowmobiles.

-Nat.

-But not for carts, trucks -and motorcycles.

-I live here on Maple Street -in the village of Stowe.

-I was living out -on the Randolph -Road in Morrisville -and it was great except for -there was terrible road -noise at night.

-I decided to -move into the village -because I didn't want to -have that.

-I did not anticipate -that the noise -would follow me.

-And, so I just, -I built a house -with several -different bedrooms, -and I moved to the -back of the house -to avoid the road noise.

-I'm on North Main Street, -where a lot of the noise -has been from passing cars.

-A little loud -as we're talking right now, -you can barely hear -each other.

-It'd be nice to hear -a little less -of the big trucks and side -by sides and -stuff like that.

-Noise emission laws vary -wildly from state to state, -along with Montana -and Massachusetts.

-Vermont -has one of the weakest -muffler laws in the country -and lacks any vehicle -noise standards, -so the law -is almost impossible -to enforce.

-My understanding -of Vermont law -is that simply -your vehicle is required -to have a muffler, -and that's that's -the end of the muffler law.

-Essentially.

-Vermont -has a tricky problem -with traffic noise.

-And the reason for that -is that, -you know, -we had these small pathways -that involved -that horse and carriage -going by houses, -and we've developed -those into roadways.

-And so the setbacks -for houses from roadways -is very small.

-It's only really -since the 1950s -that we've started -having this huge setback, -driven in part by -just the road noise.

-But in our historic -communities, -that's not possible.

-So the National -Transportation Noise -Map illustrates -a number of areas where -all forms of traffic noise -can be present -throughout the state.

-Noise -emitting sources -like traffic, -like airplanes, jets, etc.

-make a larger impact -in a place -like Vermont -where the background sound -level is so -low in most cases.

-Since Vermont is a -mountainous state.

-Truck drivers -use engine brakes -to slow down -as they descend -into the many villages -nestled in the valleys.

-In 1961, -the Jacobs Corporation -invented engine brakes, -otherwise known -as Jake brakes, -which use compressed -gas trapped -in the engine cylinders -to slow down -instead of overusing -their conventional brakes.

-For heavy trucks -that are properly muffled, -the engine brakes -can be relatively quiet, -but if not, -the trucks emit -a sudden, jarring sound, -not unlike rapid gunfire, -often having -no alternative.

-Heavy trucks -are forced to drive -through the middle of town, -passing houses -set close to the roadway, -and since the -state considers -engine brakes, -safety device, -it discourages localities -from posting anything -other than advisory signs.

-I had a Wi-Fi guy came in.

-He's installing -some cameras -in this in that, -and he has an Apple Watch.

-And this was -I don't know what time -it was, maybe 11:00 -in the morning.

-A vehicle went by -with the big Jake brake, -and his watch -started telling him that, -this level of noise -is detrimental -to your health -if experienced -over a long term period.

-If I were to -isolate the number -one issue -I have with the road noise, -it is the Jake brakes -at night.

-It's disruptive, loud.

-I got into this -because of noise.

-I was living in -downtown Montpelier, -and the city -was sweeping -the streets -like 4 or 5 in the morning, -and they would -come by my house -the first go one way -past my house, -and they come back -the other way, -and then they do -the cross street.

-So about every 15 minutes, -I was having a hard time -sleeping with what -the city was doing.

-We approached the city -and were able to -convince the city -to start the street -sweeping later in the day.

-Because of that, -I became the -executive director -of the Noise -Pollution Clearinghouse.

-We started off -by having our focus -entirely be on trying -to help people -with problems and -trying to solve them.

-What I learned from that -was that -we were trying to help -a bunch of people fight -little fights -that were -totally disconnected, -but it really didn't -move us as a country -in a direction of quiet.

-And so -my job -is to try to minimize -the noise footprint.

-Which was our campaign -here.

-So we had trademarked -to start the peace, -and we didn't preserve -the peace campaign.

-Back in the early 2000.

-The Sony Corporation -trademarked disturbance -and used that -trademark to market -their car stereo systems.

-And we ran a letter -writing campaign -to the CEO of Sony -saying, -the incredible incivility -of marketing -and disturbing the peace -and contributing to the -we were successful.

-They pulled their ads.

-You can remember that -peace and quiet -is the original condition.

-There is no noise -until somebody creates.

-If you had asked -me in 1970, -are there places -or countries -that are doing a good job -at controlling noise?

-I would have said -the United States -in the 70s, -the United States -was the leader in the world -at controlling noise.

-That was primarily -because -of the US Office of Noise -Abatement and Control -run by the US EPA.

-In the 1970s, -we had this outpouring -of health, safety -and environmental law.

-One of the, -impacts, -of the Noise Control Act, -they had a very active -and effective, -noise control program -that they started.

-And one aspect of that -was product regulation, -and they regulated -a number of products, -including busses, -motorcycles, -power lawnmowers, trucks.

-And they established -requirements -of noise abatement -for each of these products.

-And that -included coordination -with aircraft, -noise abatement.

-We were funding research -into the health -effects of noise.

-The EPA was helping -communities -write noise ordinances.

-They were helping -to train people, -police officers, -how to use sound level -meters.

-However, -Ronald Reagan was elected -in 1980, and in 1981 -he basically defunded -the Office -of Noise Abatement -and Control.

-Because we are a federation -of sovereign states.

-We can restore the health -and vitality of state -and local governments -by returning -to them, control -over programs -best run -at those levels -of government -closer to the people.

-Since that time, -the infrastructure of noise -control -has really just died.

-Without the leadership -of the federal government, -the state governments -that had programs have -slowly trailed away.

-When you look at -what technologies -are available -for the 21st century, -there's a huge lag -in regulating the noise.

-There's a huge -lag in -actually responding to it.

-We are always a little bit -behind the times -in what we are -trying to address.

-While there's call -for noise regulations, -there's not really -anything being done.

-There are certain sources -that are regulated -by the federal government.

-Still today, -the federal government -regulates highway noise -and they regulate rail -and they regulate -aircraft noise.

-And that's pretty much it.

-And then, -everything else is left -to state -and local governments -to regulate.

-Cities and towns -have been left -with the responsibility -of controlling noise, -with little training -or understanding -of how to determine -what is too loud, -what is annoying, -and what is harmful.

-Over the years, -even experts have struggled -with these basic questions.

-How do we measure sound?

-As an engineer, -you know -we use -all these instruments, -microphones and spectrum -analyzers or spectrographs -and oscilloscopes, -all these things to measure -the physical -phenomena of sound.

-How much air is moving -in a space?

-But it's complicated.

-It's complicated for me -as an engineer -after all these years.

-Then you have decibels.

-You know, -decibels are a measure -of the intensity -of the sound, -the amount of energy it.

-A decibel -meter is a device -used to measure loudness -in a given environment.

-Medical science -has determined -what lengths of exposure -at certain decibel levels -can cause hearing damage -and other health impacts.

-The World -Health Organization -has recommended -community standards -for a variety -of environments.

-Hospitals, schools, -parks, and residences -all require specific noise -levels to -function optimally.

-These physical measures -they're dancing around -the edge -of how humans -perceive sound.

-We're attuned to changes -in our environment, -but.

-If you've got a sound -that's 50dB -and you got another sound, -that's 60dB, -that's ten decibels more, -you think, at 60, it's -not that much more.

-But in truth, -we perceive it -as approximately -twice as loud.

-As.

-This is true with respect -to sleeping, -that an increase -in like eight decibels -or so results -in a significant increase -in people -who are waking up.

-Often -it's the change -from the background level -that is as important -as the absolute level.

-There are 251 towns -and villages in Vermont, -and each one is governed -by an elected board -of volunteers.

-These local officials -mediate noise -disputes of all kinds, -such as barking dogs, -loud music, -and late night parties.

-But one thing everyone -can agree with -is that it's hard -to come to a consensus -as to what -constitutes noise.

-Noise -is any sound that you -you personally don't want.

-Another definition of noise -is just sound -that is out of place.

-You know -it doesn't match -the environment.

-There is -an other -definition of noise -that is subjective.

-I love bagpipes.

-Other people can't stand -the sound of bagpipes.

-You like your music?

-I don't like your music.

-And then it really becomes -just a power struggle.

-My noise is reaching -inside your skull -and shaking hair cells.

-I am reaching inside -your head.

-And it's very personal.

-There's also intentional -noise in the motor.

-So it's a perfect example.

-Vroom, vroom.

-At the intersection.

-But for definition of noise -that I like, -noise is a sound -that is harmful -to the health or well-being -of people, -animals or ecosystems.

-The state of Vermont has a -very simple noise statute, -but unlike -other protections, -this one -only pertains to noise -in the nighttime.

-It's up to individual towns -whether to further regulate -unwanted sound, -because defining -and controlling -noise can be divisive.

-Some towns -still depend on neighbors -to work it out -with one another.

-I always liked -having neighbors, -but when it comes to noise, -proximity is everything.

-I couldn't have picked -a more -densely populated -residential area of Stowe.

-Maple Street is the street -where they block it -off, and all the kids -from all over the county -come trick or treating.

-And so -I do not live on a farm.

-I live in a -historic neighborhood -in the middle of a village.

-The way the houses are on -our street, -there's maybe a four foot -distance -between the outside -of our walls -for our bedroom -and our living room, -and the next door -neighbor's yard.

-So everything that happens, -we hear.

-My neighbor started -to bring animals -onto the property.

-I love goats, -and so I was actually -really happy -when he brought in these -two goats.

-One was cheddar -and one was Jack.

-I really liked -having them there, -but they were quiet.

-A few years later, -he brought in five -pregnant sheep.

-There's no barn there -that wasn't a farm -next door.

-That's -just like a -typical suburban -type of home with a garage.

-It was very noisy.

-For the next ten years.

-I was having -to negotiate with them -to try to keep them quiet.

-That.

-But one year -we got back -from spring break, -and at four in the morning -we hear a rooster.

-Where did that come from?

-Well, -our neighbor had brought -a rooster onto -the property.

-We were shocked and -we texted -our neighbor and were like, -you know, hey, -you got to take this -rooster away.

-We can't sleep.

-And I mean, -it was the next day -he goes, fine.

-And he took the -rooster away.

-And that was that.

-That was -a successful negotiation.

-Those people do -have backyard chickens.

-I understand -people want fresh eggs, -but you don't need roosters -for egg production.

-So the following year, -the exact same -thing happened.

-But this time -it was three roosters -and they were having -a crowing contest -that went all day long.

-It's a myth -that they start crowing -at sunrise.

-Then they start crowing at 3 -or 4 in the morning.

-We were like, hey, -you know, we'd -ask you -not to have roosters -right next to our bedroom.

-But this time he wouldn't -do anything about it.

-We were only getting -like four hours -sleep a night.

-It got so bad that I.

-I was on three -different kind -of medications.

-I was on an -anti-anxiety medicine -and, -one for panic attacks.

-It was really having a very -physical impact on me.

-This this noise issue.

-The one -finding that emerged -from recent studies -demonstrates -that noise is not just -about annoyance anymore.

-It's about our health.

-These studies confirm -that our nervous system -perceives noise -as a threat, and processes -these threats -in a predictable way.

-Our hearing is on 24 hours -a day.

-Even when you're asleep -with vision, -if you don't want -to see something, -you can close your eyes.

-You have eyelids.

-You can't close your ears.

-You don't have ear lids.

-Our hearing reaches -very quickly -into the fight -or flight centers -of your brain.

-At a basic, -primitive level, -it's a fundamental -survival sense.

-It tells you -when there are threats -in the environment.

-It's what kept -our ancestors -out of the mouths -of tigers and lions.

Move.

-The amygdala is a structure -deep within the brain -that allows us to respond -to stress, -and fear, facilitates -the fight, flight -or freeze response, -or the sympathetic -nervous system response.

-That initial stress -response is simply innate.

-If you hear a loud sound, -there's not a lot -you can do to control that.

-My body doesn't -understand that.

-A rooster -crowing at four in -the morning -is not a threat.

-It just put me -into immediate fight -or flight mode.

-Roosters can be -as loud as jet engines.

-My whole nervous -system was activated, -and then it couldn't.

-It wouldn't calm down.

-And then it would -happen again.

-And again.

-So I said, look, -if you don't do -something about it, I'm -going to have to go to the -select board.

-I got -on the select board -agenda -to propose this rooster -ordinance.

-Many other towns in Vermont -have rooster ordinances.

-It's not uncommon -even in the next town up -morrisville, -they have -a rooster ordinance.

-So I proposed -this ordinance -and the Select -Board decided -not to -do anything about it.

-They just tabled it.

-They told me to go home -and try to work it out -with my neighbor.

-Like we hadn't -been trying to do that -already for months.

-My complaining -about my ability -to sleep in my own home -made the front page -of the star reporter -two weeks in a row.

-When you complain -about noise, -you're going to -get some blowback.

-What made it even worse -is that on the newspaper's -website, -there were -the most hateful, -unsympathetic comments -you can ever imagine.

-I don't think -anybody really -could understand what -that would be like -to have -a rooster -or three roosters -crowing outside their -bedroom window -every day -and waking them up.

-When you talk about people -lodging a noise complaint, -they're not complaining.

-They're asking -that their environment -be quieter.

-That goes hand in hand -with the fact -that we often, -I think, blame -the victim -when it comes to noise.

-Like if if there's a noise -and you don't like it, -that's your problem.

-Because most noises -dissipate quickly -over distance.

-They have a -relatively small -geographic impact -and only affect -small groups of people.

-But noise sources -like airplanes -have a much larger -footprint.

-The Burlington -International Airport -is the state's only major -commercial airport, -and for years, -nearby residents -tolerated the noise -even as commercial -air traffic grew -to meet demand.

-The runways are -engineered in such a way -that takeoffs and landings -are actually felt primarily -by those -in the neighboring towns -of Winooski and Williston.

-I grew up in Vermont.

-I grew up in Colchester, -but I have lived -in the flight path, -for 14 years.

-So, -I am used to the -airplane noise.

-So when I bought -this house, -I was well aware -that I was -moving underneath airplanes -and the flight path.

-You know, -Winooski is kind of -a small town atmosphere -with an eclectic mix -of a new Americans -or refugees, immigrants -with blue collar -and white collar -and academics and students -all in one community.

-In the 1990s, -refugee resettlement -started -bringing a lot of people -into the community, -people from Bosnia.

-That was the first wave.

-This is the Winooski -High School soccer squad.

-I think they're all -pretty much from Africa.

-They're very good.

-We pick up on -that.

-We met in Kenya.

-We met through music.

-My love for helping people -and his too, -began back home.

-I work with primarily -the new Americans -that have been resettled.

-I think that's -one of the things -that we love about -when we ski, even though -we're directly -under the flight path.

-One of the few sources -of noise -that the government -regulates is commercial -aviation, -overseen -by the Federal Aviation -Administration.

-The FAA, -the FAA has set -a noise level standard -for air traffic -to balance air -travel demands -with the surrounding -populations needs, -based on surveys -answered by those -living near an airport.

-The FAA set -the acceptable noise -limit to -what we now know -will cost -28% of the population to be -highly annoyed.

-To determine if that -noise limit is exceeded.

-The FAA uses a 24 -hour average -called the day -night sound level average, -or DML 65dB DL -is considered -by the FAA -to be the level -at which aircraft -noise is significant.

-If an airport exceeds 65, -you know -its noise -level is classified -as incompatible -with residential use.

-The decibel level is not.

-What you actually -hear is an average.

-You hear much louder, -but 65 is an average.

-Many people mistakenly -think, oh, 65dB.

-Not that.

-Well, yeah, -except it's not.

-Average is, by design, -mask extremes, -which can cause real harm.

-For example, -on a subzero -winter day in Vermont.

-It's unwise -to dress -based on the state's -average year -round temperature, -45 degrees.

-You can get frostbite -or even freeze to death.

-Europe has been moving -to a lower noise -standard for airports.

-However, -the FAA continues -to use a 65 DML standard, -which is based on -social nuisance -rather than noise, -as a pollutant -or public health concern.

-A new study released -today finds a link -between airport noise -and higher rates -of heart disease -and stroke.

-It's a living situation, -a new study says.

-Could make Lori -Deering sick.

-In the last decade, -there have been -a lot of strides to show -how exactly -noise leads to increased -risk for adverse -cardiovascular events -like heart attacks -and strokes.

-Individuals -with a greater -degree of perceived -stress had a higher ratio -of metabolism -in the amygdala -and leads -to downstream disease.

-The risk increased -with every five decibels -increase in noise exposure.

-On average, -and is independent -from things like income, -crime rate.

-We still -see that noise is a -very important -overall driver -of this finding.

-That whole sequence -of noise -leading to -cortisol release, leading -also to a higher blood -pressure, -is part of the -negative effects -on the nervous system -and on health.

-Unfortunately, noise -as an issue has been kind -of a sleeper -public health concern.

-The Burlington -Airport is unusual -in one respect.

-It is home to the Vermont -Air National Guard, -or Vtec, -as it's known to locals.

-Until 2019, -the tank flew F-16 -fighter jets -out of Burlington.

-Since the FAA does -not regulate -military aircraft, -when VE tank -flew the F-16s, the 65 -noise threshold -for Burlington's -commercial airport -was exceeded -and parts -of South Burlington -were deemed unsuitable -for residential use.

-Ultimately, many homeowners -were bought out -or decided to move -out of these neighborhoods.

-So there's a noise.

-And living here, -that's the noise.

-Bother you?

-Only those F-16s.

-We need -ways to think about -what's going on -under the -influence of noise, -because we're kind -of resigned to it -at some significant cost -that we're still -learning about.

-But it looks to me -significant.

-I know -these are not easy times, -which is why yesterday -I issued the stay at home, -stay safe quarter.

-We must all do our part -to slow the spread -of this deadly virus.

-I need you to stay home.

-When everything's stopped.

-It was quiet, tranquil, -peaceful.

-This is how -home should feel.

-Like no noise.

-During the pandemic, -we experienced -an unprecedented -change -in the acoustic environment -around us.

-It was very quiet -for a lot of people.

-The overall -reduction in noise -was delightful.

-Due to the pandemic.

-2020 was probably -the quietest year -this century.

-But even though it was -the quietest year, -I think we became much -more aware -of the noises -in our own environment.

-We started -working from home -and spending much more time -at home.

-During the pandemic, -everyone is trying -to use the the zoom.

-We have a small house.

-Our sound is affected -in the house.

-My fiancee works -in Winooski, -so whether it's his home -or whether he's at work, -there's quite a -bit of noise -from the planes.

-Yeah, -that's a lot of noise.

-We feel stuck here -right now.

-I moved to Brandon -in 2017, where pre-COVID, -Brandon was cute.

-It was historic, small.

-Everyone I talk -to loved the town.

-I thought I had -found my dream spot.

-I knew -that Vermont was -gun friendly.

-Six households shot a lot -recreationally.

-It felt like an anomaly.

-Then.

-It's the pandemic -that really threw things -for a loop.

-My neighbors -would shoot -for hours at a time.

-I had neighbors -who bought -10,000 rounds at a time.

-So I'm working.

-Or I'm -on a conference call, -or I'm just hanging out -and suddenly come -loud, ricochet -throughout the valley.

-It would happen -any time during the day.

-Would happen -at night, happen -in the morning.

-Would wake me up in bed.

-I would wake up -with these dreams -that I was being attacked, -or that my house -was being attacked, -and I would have to -defend my animals.

-So that had -never happened to me -before.

-I used to sleep fine.

-And still to this day, -waking up -in the middle of night -thinking I'm under attack.

-When neighbors would -use those weapons.

-The horses get freaked out.

-They'd run, -they'd get spooked.

-I ask Brandon police -to negotiate a conversation -between me -and my neighbors, -and they refuse to.

-If we're not able to -set up protections.

-Could we at least have -a schedule?

-You know, -every Saturday at noon, -people are shooting.

-I'm like, okay, -well, it's already noon.

-We know everyone's -got to shoot.

-There's such a -power imbalance -that that conversation -can only be negotiated -by a third party -that has power -above an armed actor, -like the police.

-So I want to confront -this idea hard -that we should just talk -with our neighbors.

-One, I tried to.

-Two.

It didn't work.

-I tried so many times -to talk to my neighbors.

-It was angry, -belligerent response -to that.

-They said, -well, shooting we want -and perhaps you should -get lessons and forces.

-And I was like, -if I, -if I keep living -with this, I'm I'm done.

-Like my health is shot.

-I'm going to have a stroke.

-My dad died -of heart failure.

-Like I'm -going to die -of heart failure.

-When the pandemic hit, -I had been out -traveling a lot, -and I was actually -looking forward -to being home more often -with my husband.

-Vermont -had a very strict lockdown.

-We were really -stuck at home -almost exactly the time -that the pandemic hit.

-My neighbor -brought a ramp -onto the property -next door -and put it in a tool shed, -which was right -across from our bedroom -and living room.

-And the ram was not -given any sunlight -and company.

-It was just stuck in -this tool shed -and it would cry -all day long.

-And that was the -soundtrack to my pandemic.

-At 7:40 a.m., -I got up early -to see if I could work -an office -without sheep noise, -and I did till 740.

-I was constantly -listening to this noise -for months and months.

-An animal -that was suffering.

-It was really -just too much for me.

-I couldn't think, -couldn't work.

-It really impacted me.

-There was no place -on our property -that we could go -where we were away from.

-This noise.

-I'm in my office -and I'm trying to get ready -for an important -phone call.

-Hey, -can you hear the sheep?

-The noise -and its effect on me -got so bad again, -I had to leave my home.

-In the Burlington area, -pandemic life -was oppressive for many.

-Leading up to the pandemic.

-The Vermont Air -National Guard had acquired -a new fighter jet, -the F-35.

-This acquisition was -years in the making -and was -highly controversial.

-The problem here is that, -they've just torn down -200 affordable homes.

-And, you know, that's -because of the extreme -noise of the F-16.

-And the problem is that -the F-35 is going to be -four times louder.

-And it would put -3000 homes in a situation -where they're in a zone -that the federal government -calls unsuitable -for residential use.

-In 2009, -the Air Force announced -that they would choose -from a short list of bases -that would host -a new weapon system.

-The most powerful -engine ever -to propel a fighter jet -and consequently -the loudest.

-The Vermont Air -National Guard -made the shortlist -and they were awarded -the F-35 jet.

-They would be the -first National Air -Guard base to do so.

-Should the Vermont -Air Guard -get new F-35 planes?

-And does -the public want them?

-I'm nervous -about the noise.

-Everything that I've read -has said -that the F-35 -is significantly louder.

-The Air Force began to work -on an environmental impact -statement, -or EIS, for each base.

-The constituents -in South Burlington -were very concerned -about the F-35 -and wanted us -to do something.

-I became sort of the -de facto spokesperson -because I was -the only councilor -who had ever served on -in the military.

-The rest of them -said, you know, -you're the one -that has to do it.

-So I did what I was -taught to do in my career, -and that is do my homework.

-So I read -the environmental impact -statement, -all three volumes.

-This is the document -that looked -at the environmental impact -of the F-35 on our air -and on the other bases -that were -under consideration.

-I started with stickies -and initially -I was color coding them.

-So I had -I think pink was safety -and blue was noise -disruption on sleep.

-The section on children, -what the noise does -to children and infants.

-So this is my -Bible for the F-35.

-Almost 75% of the residents -in the houses in -Winooski are in that 65dB.

-Human beings -could be harmed -if they live in this 65 -decibel noise zone.

-This is our loudness -thermometer.

-It's a tool that we have -on our website -that the public -can just use -and modify themselves.

-Here I'm going to enter -a noise of a F-35 jet -from EIS.

-Yes, at 115dB, -we can enter the F-16 -that was there before -a 94 decibel.

-You can see here -that the F-35 -is approximately four times -louder than the F-16.

-Based on the -data in the EIS, -well, -this is one of -the busiest spots -in all of Vermont -during rush hour.

-So these protesters -are certainly hoping -to get a lot of eyeballs -on their signs here.

-They're saying -that the F-35 will bomb -property values, -that they'll cause -extra unwanted noise, -and they could do unknown -harm to kids -or the environment.

Oh, no.

-No.

-There were so many -efforts that -the people made.

-There were a number -of protest demonstrations.

-There were petitions.

-There were resolutions.

-At the same time, -the Vermont Air -National Guard -was lobbying very heavily -to get the F-35.

-We're part -of the local community.

-We are their guard, -and we want to be -good neighbors.

-Between everything -that I've heard -and I've -talked to with people, -that -they're not going to notice -a discernable difference -between the F-35 and F-16.

-We're talking about -six minutes -a day, four times a week.

-Even before -the EIS was completed, -the National Guard -and its supporters -began a campaign -to dismiss the community's -valid noise concerns.

-Instead of focusing on -whether the jet -was appropriate -to fly over such a densely -populated area, -F-35 supporters -wrap their arguments -around pledges -of patriotism -and their love -for the guard.

-I was not really prepared -for the vitriol -that came my way.

-The house was vandalized -a few times.

-I would get very -nasty emails -just simply -for relaying the facts.

-Everybody who objected to -the F-35 -would need to get over it.

-I think -they're absolutely -incredible pieces -of American fighter jets.

-Pride.

-They are beautiful.

-One of America's -most proudest -aerial combat -freaking machines.

-I love them.

-A promoted turn of phrase -was that -the roar of the F-35 -was the sound of freedom, -which was actually -an old Air Force slogan.

-I know -that there are some people -who say they love the F-35.

-They love looking at them.

-They love hearing them.

-It's the sound of freedom -that's great.

-Maybe some of them -even love smoking, -but that doesn't mean -I should have to -inhale their smoke -or listen to the -sounds that they love.

-Today, the -voices support -for the Vermont Air -National Guard rings -true and clear.

-We hear military jets -just six minutes a day, -four days a week.

-And we know -when they are awarded -this new jet, -they will continue -to balance our needs with -what is necessary -to keep us safe.

-I cannot look -you in the eye -and say that -I can tell a noise -difference between -those planes.

-Vermont has thrived -with the F-16.

Share.

-It will continue to thrive -if the F-35s -are based here.

-Right now, -the F-35 is the plane.

-And if it does not -come to Vermont, -it will go to another -community.

-Unfortunately, -I was not active in in -asking them -not to come here -because I believed -the politicians.

-And I thought that -when Leahy said -there, -they're just as loud -as the F-16s, -it's it's the same thing.

-I said, well, -what is everyone -complaining about?

-I don't understand.

-I regret that very much.

-I regret it for myself -and for the community, -for everyone -who has to deal with this.

-Tonight, I want you to feel -what the residents -in the flight path feel.

-To feel -their inconvenience, -frustration and anger -at unwanted sound.

-Do you really want this -to be your part -of your legacy -as a city Council?

-That is not -respectful civil discourse.

-Loud -and.

-Saying -all the time -of your neighbors -who would like to speak to -this council.

-I understand -there's fewer people -that get to speak.

-I understand the word.

-I don't know -if you understand that, -but I want you -to remember this.

-You can be -feeling when you close -and ask yourself, -can you inflict that -on the hundreds -of Vermonters in effect?

-Do you want them -to feel that same thing?

-Katie, do you feel fine?

-Do you feel your neighbors?

-Are all of you -feeling this?

-This is anger -and this is what people -will feel every time -they get to hear.

-This morning.

-I'm pleased to announce -that the secretary -and the Chief of -staff of the airports -have selected Burlington -as the first Air National -Guard for -the F-35 program.

-The Air Force made -their decision in 2013, -but it was going to be -six more years -before the F-35 -would arrive.

-In the interim, -people continued to fight -with more protests, -more lawsuits, -and more public votes.

-Ben Cohen -joined this band of Ben -and Jerry's.

-Join our effort -to oppose the F-35.

-Ben came up -with a sound machine, -outfitted a truck -with a noise maker -to approximate -the decibel level -of the F-35, -and then drove -through the city -of Burlington.

-In all of his time -since the F-35 -selection process -had started.

-Not a single resident -in the Burlington area -had heard the actual -sound of an F-35.

-You know, -people come up, say, -my pets are going crazy, -my cats going crazy.

-You know, my kids hate it.

-You know, -we're saying -we're sorry to disturb you, -but you're hearing it once.

-Ben Cohen, co-founder -of Ben and Jerry's -ice Cream, -leading a group -in what they called an F-35 -jet blast demo.

-The police came out -and arrested -Ben and two other people -for making noise.

-In the city -of Burlington's, -there's a noise ordinance -that you can't violate.

-Ben Cohen -and two others -were arrested -for disorderly conduct -by noise.

-Police say they received -several noise -complaints of the F-35 -blast demo.

-Of course, -the Air Force -can violate -with the F-35, -but you'll get arrested.

-The F-35s -arrived in the middle -of a pandemic, -and a half -of the contingent was here -when we went into lockdown.

-They were incredibly loud.

-Before -we were locked down.

-And then it felt like war.

-It felt like.

-Like we were under attack.

-But what was worse is that -people were trapped -in their homes.

-Children were not -going to school.

-People were not -going to work.

-And if you were -in the noise zone, -I mean, you were like, -you know, a sitting duck.

-They said -they were going to be -as quiet as they could.

-But it seems like -they've gotten louder -and louder -and louder lately.

-And I can't be outside -the F-35.

-are beyond unbearable.

-These things are disruptive -of every form of -of human interaction.

-My dog just stops.

-She kind of goes -into a freeze -and I just say, -it's not human.

-It's not a human sound.

-Oh, -these are her noise -canceling headphones -that we -we put on for walks.

-Or when we take her to -take her to see live music.

-Just to make sure -her ears are protected -and don't want -to have to use them -when I'm just walking -around the neighborhood.

-But safety first.

-And it really is so loud -that I can't imagine -it's not doing -any damage to her -tiny little growing ears.

-What?

-You only get -one set of ears.

-It's not like teeth.

-You don't get a second try.

-I personally don't -want to offer up -my child to research -to see -when he's going to go deaf.

-Adverse experiences.

-This ties in -not only to noise exposure, -but a whole range of stress -and challenges to children.

-A developing, -unfolding nervous system -for hearing -is more vulnerable, -not to mention -noise induced hearing loss.

-I mean, that's loud, right?

-But it's not overwhelming.

-But if that were an F-35, -for a much longer time -period to.

-Low frequency -noise travels -the farthest, lingers -the longest, -and could trigger -feelings of discomfort -and panic.

-It's almost like -your whole body -is just kind of -shaking a little bit.

-It's it's very weird.

-It goes right through you.

-It's a really horrible.

-Like, -even if you blocked -your ears, it's there.

-Sources like the F-35 -motorcycles, Jake Brinks -and UN -muffled car -exhaust all produce -a great deal of low -frequency sound.

-Other types of noise -can also cause -serious annoyance -because of the irritating -and disruptive nature -of gas powered -leaf blowers.

-Many communities, -including Burlington, -Vermont, are passing -full or partial bans.

-Whereas high -frequency noise -can be more easily blocked.

-Low frequency -noise penetrates, -losing -less of the energy as it -passes through -solid objects -like walls or windows.

-Low frequency noise -is almost impossible -to block.

-So attenuating that -and mitigating -that is difficult -when, say, for instance, -you have a house -where you have -several windows -that are pointed towards -a road.

-So even sometimes -adding external -glazing to windows -won't be enough -to, in many cases -reduce low frequency sound.

-It's like high 80s.

-Federal standards -require that -every motorcycle -leaving the assembly line -operates at no louder -than 80dB.

-Some motorcycle owners -illegally install -aftermarket mufflers -which exceed that level.

-When the Air Force created -the noise -map for Burlington.

-They used the FAA's -65 DML methodology, -which downplays the -F-35 low frequency.

-If they had taken its full -range of sound -into account, -the noise map -would have shown -the F-35 -is having an even larger -noise footprint.

-Conversely, -affecting many more -Vermont residents.

-Into the fall of -the first year of Covid.

-So 2020, -it became clear to me that -my property -was not safe -from these kinds of noises.

-The idea -that someone -next to me or next to me -or next to me -can fire off -assault weapons -for three hours at a time, -and I have no property -rights -in that scenario -is absurd to me.

-So I started pushing -for a noise ordinance.

-People who were new to town -recognized the problem.

-So those of you in Brandon -may already know that -we have -a simple noise ordinance -in our Brandon Land -Use ordinance.

-We lifted up our concerns -about noise.

-The old guard, -the leadership of -the town is -very libertarian.

-We don't like laws.

-We don't like regulations.

-And so the Vermont -League of Cities and Towns -have crafted -a model ordinance.

-So they weren't keen -to embrace a noise -ordinance that would -potentially put -restrictions -on your ability -to do whatever you want.

-The whole process -of pursuing -a noise ordinance -only lasted -like a month or two.

-They had a couple hearings.

-They weren't -will advertise to the town.

-Didn't know about it.

-Most people in the town -didn't know about -these hearings.

-I think when you create -a lot of unwanted noise -next to somebody, it's -really an assault.

-It's the ATVs -circling for hours -and hours at a time.

-The music blaring -at midnight and longer.

-I could see our police -department being -called out, -50 times a day.

-I just feel that -this is, start -of a government -takeover to regulate -everything that we do -because of a few people -who come into this town -from somewhere else.

-Once I started advocating -for a noise ordinance, -I became enemy number one.

-And the blowback was harsh.

-My mailbox was destroyed -and my garage was shot -with paintballs, -and some of my gates -and fences were vandalized -and destroyed.

-People would -stop in front of our house -and peel out -with their trucks, leaving, -you know, these long tracks -to impress upon us that -what you're pursuing -is not welcome on -this road.

-They knew -when I was out and about -and they would -use the weapons -then to intimidate.

-So that's why I asked -Brandon police -to get involved.

-They didn't, -and they wouldn't.

-If the community -is proactive -in addressing it, -then it feels like -you're actually doing -something about it.

-When the community says -I, there's -nothing to see here.

What?

-You have a problem?

-Why don't you just -talk to your neighbor?

-That's what we do here.

-That's like -double the harm.

-Then you feel betrayed -by your community.

-And I definitely -felt betrayed by Brandon.

-Some of Vermont's -larger towns -are more responsive -to noise concerns.

-Saint Albans and Essex -are becoming proactive -and passing their own -exhaust noise ordinances.

-Saint Albans -wants to turn down -the volume on city streets, -specifically the noise -from passing cars -and motorcycles.

-The ordinance bans mufflers -that can be heard -from 50ft away.

-Unnecessary acceleration, -downshifting or braking -to make excessive noise.

-The Saint Albans -Police Department -will enforce this -and fines -will start at $150.

-The town of Essex -is working -to put together -a public nuisance order -at the request of the Essex -Police Department.

-They say having -an ordinance in place -will make it easier -to respond to things -such as noise complaints.

-Vermont's capital -city, Montpelier, -has also taken -an important step -to reduce noise -by outlawing engine breaks, -but only at night.

-Other frustrated mountain -communities across the U.S. -are addressing -the engine brake noise -issue through carefully -worded regulation -and signage.

-In the past, -I think there was a hope -that the decibel level -was going to be -the perfect tool.

-But there's a lot -of regulatory tools -that are easier -and more effective to use.

-And my favorite -amongst them -is the plainly -audible standard.

-What it is, is it says -the noise shall not -be plainly audible -at certain distance -from the source.

-For example, your bedroom.

-You know -you shouldn't be listening -to your neighbor's rooster -in your bedroom.

-All the officer has to do -is sit -there and listen and go, -did I hear it?

-Could I detect the sound -or not?

-It's actually more common -in noise ordinances -than a decibel standard.

-Right now.

-Across the lake -from Vermont.

-New York State -is also adopting -aggressive measures -to deal with exhaust noise.

-A new law -now is in the books, -designed -to turn down the volume -by banning the devices -that make those vehicles -so loud.

-Stop loud and excessive -exhaust pollution, or yes, -the Sleep Act -has been passed -by the state legislature.

-People -are tired of the noise -of souped up cars.

-They are tired -of the endless battle -for sleep.

-The bill makes selling -or installing -exhaust modification -equipment subject -to a $1,000 fine -when writing noise -ordinances.

-You have to make sure -you got the enforcement -piece there too, -because if you don't, it's -just not going -to make any difference -in New York City.

-Exhaust noise laws -are now being enforced -by noise -cameras installed -throughout the city.

-Many more U.S. -cities are on the cusp -of adopting this technology -for more -effective enforcement.

-The Soundview Noise Camera -System is listening -all the time, -and it detects -nuisance vehicles, -whether that's for mufflers -or for music.

-And it captures -video, audio, -precision noise levels -and uploads it -to a secure web server -where someone can review it -and determine -whether a violation -has taken place.

-While the state of Vermont -is doing very little -to tackle noise -issues directly, -its recent commitment -to clean vehicle -technology -will certainly help reduce -transportation noise -in the future.

-One possible -way to make headway on -noise is to tie it to -some of these -climate change measures.

-It's so hard to separate -air pollution -and water pollution -from noise, -because the things that are -polluting -are also creating noise.

-There are about 20 -commercial electric mowers -in use in the state, -if not more.

-It just makes sense, -especially now -with climate change.

-When you look at almost -all electric products, -they are half to a quarter -as loud -as their -internal combustion -equivalent.

-That's true of vehicles.

-It's going to be -really true of trucks, -busses and motorcycles.

-What is pushing us -quieter is basically -going to be -the end of the fossil -fuel era of noise pollution -measures to reduce noise -at a policy level, -be it -changing the schedule -of aircraft, -insulating buildings -that are in high -traffic areas.

-All of these things -can reduce noise -on a larger scale.

-And there's also -individual measures -that can be undertaken, -especially for people -that are particularly -annoyed by noise.

-I work at Bose Corporation, -where I've been involved -for 40 years in noise -canceling headphones.

-I like to think of -my life's work -is giving people -unprecedented control -over this wonderful sense.

-They're hearing -started out on airplanes, -but these days -people will use it, -in the office, -subways, busses, -all sorts of places -to just -give you a sense of control -over that noise -that didn't exist -decades ago.

-For many people, -it's not the -intensity of noise -that makes it stressful.

-It's the inability -to control it.

-There's growing interest -among American -citizen groups -to resurrect -the EPA's -Office of Noise Control.

-One group of -quiet communities -filed a lawsuit in 2023, -alleging that -the EPA shirked its duties -by stripping the office -of its funding.

-Thereby resulting -in nationwide -noise pollution.

-In their complaint, -they estimate that -more than 100 -million Americans -health is at risk -from excessive -noise exposure.

-I think -it's really important that -we try to maintain -the part of Vermont -that is quiet and peaceful.

-I think we would -really miss that -if it was gone -and we got to do something -about it.

-I'm working -with my neighbors -and other people in Vermont -who organized around -this noise issue.

-We may be at a -tipping point -where we could still -do something about it.

-On average during the -day, the sound levels -were around 70dB, -which is high -for a residential area, -and at night it was 64.

-The World -Health Organization sleep -disturbance guidelines -is 45 -over the course of a night.

-So it's over -the nighttime limit.

-By almost 20dB.

-And then the average -daytime sound level -to protect -against serious -annoyance is 55.

-So 55 will -cause serious annoyance.

-And we're at 70.

Yes.

-You know, -I see that -you really need to -have some good data -just to start -a conversation, -because I think -that would be -useful for, -for example, -a elected official -to know -kind of what's happened.

-It's hard.

-It's hard -if they're not here to know -what's happening -in terms of like.

-So now that I understand -how dangerous noise -is, especially noise -in the nighttime, -it makes me unwilling -to put up with it anymore.

-And the levels of anxiety -can be immense.

-People all the time -just move -because they just can't -deal with it anymore.

-And that's sad.

-A couple of things -made Brandon unlivable.

-I imagined a future -like this -in perpetuity.

-And, like, -things aren't -going to change.

-And the weapons -use is only going -to increase.

-It's not going to diminish.

-But when the Selectboard -decided -to not pursue -a noise ordinance -that night, -I think it was April 12th, -I decided to sell.

-And I love my farm so much.

-I spent.

-So much of this year -grieving -at the loss of my farm.

-But I could not live -with this shooting.

-And it just blows my mind -that in Vermont, -we allow one person -to pursue their property -rights over -and above another person's -ability to -enjoy their life.

-We can't leave.

-I'm trying to leave.

-But the market is terrible.

-And if I could -leave tomorrow, I would.

-But I can't find a place.

-Some of us are low income -or medium income, -and some of us -are no income.

-People in Shelburne -don't need to listen to it.

-Where -all the senators live, -they're far enough away -that they don't need -to listen to it.

-You know, other more -affluent communities, -they don't need to hear it -like we do.

-I feel really trapped.

-I feel like -a prisoner -in this -nightmare of a place -that used to -feel like home.

-There's no -question about it.

-This is where my home is.

-This is where my family is.

-This is where -my friends are.

-This is where the community -I serve is.

-But my house is not a safe -haven.

-It's been ridiculous -in Vermont with the F-35.

-We've really turned -the whole.

-Protect -and defend the people -upside down.

-The people -have to sacrifice.

-That's what -we've been told.

-The people come last.

-The plane comes first.

-It feels like they're -just waiting for us -to get tired of calling -and complaining or writing -falling on deaf ears.

-It feels like.

-One of the most diverse -and probably -the least wealthy -of the communities -in Vermont -was the one -that was made to suffer.

-Was this -the intent of the -people in power?

-I don't know, -but they certainly -don't care.

-You know, -Vermont has been such -a beacon for people -all over the country -in terms of -progressive policies.

-What I'm hoping is -that we can be -a leader -on these noise issues -and not be -the last in the country -in terms of -noise regulations.

-I really think that people -will come together -and want to -do something about it.

-I think we are -at an inflection -point right now.

-Can the richest country -in the history of the world -choose to be one -that is really nice to live -for almost half a century?

-The primary noise control -in America was to move, -but we can't -flee the noise anymore.

-public, partnering -with local filmmakers -to bring you -stories made here.

-For more, -visit Vermont public.org.