Has Town staff measured noise near the Cummings C-West drilling location?
In response to concerns from a resident regarding nighttime noise levels at the Cummings C-West drilling location, staff took nighttime decibel level measurements at the nearest noise sensitive area approximately 550 feet from the drilling site on three separate occasions; August 12, August 25, and September 16, 2010. The ordinance requires averaging the sound levels over a minimum 15 minute sample duration. The ordinance defines 56 dB(a) as the maximum noise level for nighttime operations when measured at the nearest residence, public building, or human occupied building. The August 12 readings were taken between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. The readings did not exceed 56 dB, and the average was 51.9 dB. On August 25, measurements taken between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. did not exceed 56 dB and the average was 53.9 dB. The September 16 sample taken between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. included 5 out of 20 data points that exceeded 56 dB with 3 of those points attributed to cars or trucks passing by that we
