Latest news with #noisePollution
CTV News
12 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
La Fontaine Tunnel construction creating ‘constant' noise for nearby residents
Some residents living near the La Fontaine Tunnel are frustrated over the constant noise from ongoing construction. Marie-Lyne Grenier says the noise is a persistent disruption in her daily life. 'It's extremely frustrating,' she said. She explained that while she understands the necessity of the work, the continuous noise from the construction has reached an intolerable level. 'We know noise pollution impacts stress levels,' said Grenier. She is not alone in her frustration. Other residents in the neighborhood share similar concerns. Construction on the La Fontaine Tunnel began in 2020, with workers carrying out repairs to extend the tunnel's lifespan by another 40 years. Residents have noticed a recent increase in noise levels, especially at night, which has been affecting their sleep. 'You felt like there was a vacuum right behind your head over the entire night,' said Grenier. At least two residents have complained to Quebec's Transportation Ministry. They are calling for better communication from authorities regarding the construction and its impact. In response to the concerns, the Ministry told CTV News that the noise is caused by a temporary ventilation system put in place to provide workers with fresh air. 'An anti-noise wall was installed on the site on June 5 to reduce the noise caused by temporary ventilation in the area. The wall, made up of sound-absorbing containers and acoustic fabrics, will remain in place until the second tube is completed,' said Martin Girard, a spokesperson for the ministry. He also reassured residents that they will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if necessary. The circulation tubes will open in Fall 2026, and other works on the La Fontaine Tunnel are expected to last until 2027.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
How to turn down the volume and protect wildlife in your yard and garden
In the garden, the start of the growing season means the return of dirt under our fingernails, the scent of freshly spread mulch and the first blooming roses. In my neighborhood, and perhaps yours, it also means an audible onslaught of lawnmowers, leaf blowers and other tools of the landscaper's trade. From 8 a.m. through at least early afternoon — five or six days every week — the hum of power tools and other machines disrupts my peace. But even more concerning is that my peace pales in importance to that of my property's other residents. Birds, squirrels, rabbits, frogs, insects and other wildlife are critically affected by human-made noise. They're outdoors right in the middle of what must seem to them a war zone — with no escape. And the battleground noises that surround them aren't merely nuisances; they disrupt the basic instincts the animals' lives depend on. Instincts such as those that alert them to the presence of predators become masked under the gas-powered cacophony prevalent throughout most of suburbia. The unnatural sounds can also force birds, bats and insects into changing their feeding, nesting and mating habits, says Kevin Munroe, Long Island Preserve Director for The Nature Conservancy, based in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. 'Quite a few animals communicate primarily through song, and their songs are how they find each other,' Munroe said. Those with soft and quiet songs, like warblers, small species of owls, bats and some species of crickets, for instance, can be so badly drowned out by noise pollution that 'they literally cannot build families or reproduce,' he said. To illustrate the point, Munroe likens the animals' songs to navigation systems. 'Imagine these songs are the birds' roadmaps to each other, and imagine you're using your GPS to get somewhere and all of a sudden it turns off, and that's the only way you can find your family. Now, with it turned off, there's no way you'll find your family. That's what song is like for these animals,' he said. Artificial noises from power equipment, traffic, construction and industrial sources, can also cause stress and hearing loss in animals. A University of Georgia study even found that highway noises can elevate heart rates in monarch caterpillars. Thoughtful planning can reduce the noise This may seem like a losing battle in modern society, but there are steps we can take to help. The Nature Conservancy recommends changes to industrial practices that include accounting for sensitive areas when siting noise-producing facilities, such as access roads and compressor stations, and designing them to include sound barriers such as walls, vegetative screening and noise-absorbing equipment. Altering the timing and duration of noisy activities during breeding and hibernation periods could also reduce adverse effects on wildlife, the organization said. What you can do at home On our own properties, small changes can make a big impact. Because birds do their 'most important talking to each other' between dawn and 9 a.m., Munroe recommends shifting noisy yardwork later. Another critical time for many species of wildlife is after dark, he said. 'You can play music and have fun, but try not to make any loud noises,' he said. In addition, creating sound buffers by planting dense native trees, evergreens or deciduous shrubs, and switching from gas- to battery-powered tools, including leaf blowers, string trimmers and chainsaws, are simple things homeowners can do to avoid causing harm. Educating and introducing change to local communities is important, too. Munroe suggests working with your homeowners association, schools, businesses and churches to limit loud, destructive activity on their properties. 'Talk to local municipalities about their noise ordinances and (encourage them to) create a sound sanctuary in the neighborhood (to protect) wood thrushes, katydids' and other wildlife, he said. And always observe noise ordinances at home and in public places, like parks. Wild animals serve as 'pollinators, affect pest control and have a positive effect on our agriculture and our economy,' Munroe said. 'We want them in our neighborhoods.' ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
How to turn down the volume and protect wildlife in your yard and garden
In the garden, the start of the growing season means the return of dirt under our fingernails, the scent of freshly spread mulch and the first blooming roses. In my neighborhood, and perhaps yours, it also means an audible onslaught of lawnmowers, leaf blowers and other tools of the landscaper's trade. From 8 a.m. through at least early afternoon — five or six days every week — the hum of power tools and other machines disrupts my peace. But even more concerning is that my peace pales in importance to that of my property's other residents. Birds, squirrels, rabbits, frogs, insects and other wildlife are critically affected by human-made noise. They're outdoors right in the middle of what must seem to them a war zone — with no escape. And the battleground noises that surround them aren't merely nuisances; they disrupt the basic instincts the animals' lives depend on. Instincts such as those that alert them to the presence of predators become masked under the gas-powered cacophony prevalent throughout most of suburbia. The unnatural sounds can also force birds, bats and insects into changing their feeding, nesting and mating habits, says Kevin Munroe, Long Island Preserve Director for The Nature Conservancy, based in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. 'Quite a few animals communicate primarily through song, and their songs are how they find each other,' Munroe said. Those with soft and quiet songs, like warblers, small species of owls, bats and some species of crickets, for instance, can be so badly drowned out by noise pollution that 'they literally cannot build families or reproduce,' he said. To illustrate the point, Munroe likens the animals' songs to navigation systems. 'Imagine these songs are the birds' roadmaps to each other, and imagine you're using your GPS to get somewhere and all of a sudden it turns off, and that's the only way you can find your family. Now, with it turned off, there's no way you'll find your family. That's what song is like for these animals,' he said. Artificial noises from power equipment, traffic, construction and industrial sources, can also cause stress and hearing loss in animals. A University of Georgia study even found that highway noises can elevate heart rates in monarch caterpillars. Thoughtful planning can reduce the noiseThis may seem like a losing battle in modern society, but there are steps we can take to help. The Nature Conservancy recommends changes to industrial practices that include accounting for sensitive areas when siting noise-producing facilities, such as access roads and compressor stations, and designing them to include sound barriers such as walls, vegetative screening and noise-absorbing equipment. Altering the timing and duration of noisy activities during breeding and hibernation periods could also reduce adverse effects on wildlife, the organization said. What you can do at homeOn our own properties, small changes can make a big impact. Because birds do their 'most important talking to each other' between dawn and 9 a.m., Munroe recommends shifting noisy yardwork later. Another critical time for many species of wildlife is after dark, he said. 'You can play music and have fun, but try not to make any loud noises,' he said. In addition, creating sound buffers by planting dense native trees, evergreens or deciduous shrubs, and switching from gas- to battery-powered tools, including leaf blowers, string trimmers and chainsaws, are simple things homeowners can do to avoid causing harm. Educating and introducing change to local communities is important, too. Munroe suggests working with your homeowners association, schools, businesses and churches to limit loud, destructive activity on their properties. 'Talk to local municipalities about their noise ordinances and (encourage them to) create a sound sanctuary in the neighborhood (to protect) wood thrushes, katydids' and other wildlife, he said. And always observe noise ordinances at home and in public places, like parks. Wild animals serve as 'pollinators, affect pest control and have a positive effect on our agriculture and our economy,' Munroe said. 'We want them in our neighborhoods.' ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Waverley Borough Council to fight Farnborough Airport expansion
A Surrey council has voted to fight an airport's expansion Airport in Hampshire wants to increase its annual number of flights from 50,000 to 70, Borough Council in Surrey has said this will increase noise and air pollution for its residents, and is writing to the government to airport said it currently generates £1.9bn for the UK economy every year. The proposal, put to Rushmoor Borough Council in 2023, attracted protests by environmentalists outside the Follows, the leader of Waverley Borough Council, said: "Private jet travel benefits only a privileged few, but the environmental consequences will be shared by all - especially communities like ours."We're calling on our MPs and national leaders to reject this short-sighted proposal, that will fail to deliver economic growth for the public at large and prioritise the health and wellbeing of local residents and the planet."Mr Follows has written to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Godalming and Ash MP Jeremy Hunt. Waverley is being supported by Tilford Parish Council, which said the proposed new air corridor would route flights directly over the airport has claimed its environmental impact is less than larger facilities because the aircraft it serves are smaller, and it provides 3,000 jobs.A spokesman for Farnborough Airport said: 'We remain committed to bringing forward our vision."This application has been subject to extensive consultation and we are continuing to liaise with Rushmoor Borough Council officers to enable a decision to be made later this year." Farnham and Bordon MP Greg Stafford said the airport "supports jobs and contributes significantly to the local economy" but that he shares concerns about the proposal."These plans are simply not acceptable in their current form," he added. No date has been set for the application to be heard.A spokesman for Rushmoor Borough Council said: "Rushmoor Borough Council will not be determining the Farnborough Airport Application by 30 June 2025 and is currently discussing with the airport and then with statutory consultees an appropriate revised timetable."This will be published once agreed. Any claims on the timing of the process at the moment are speculation."
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Residents and Transport Minister signal `constructive' Dublin Airport talks
Local residents and Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien said they had 'constructive' talks on the Dublin Airport passenger limit. The Minister met residents who have demanded the Government tackle noise and health issues before resolving the row over the 32 million a-year passenger cap imposed by planners on the airport. The St Margaret's The Ward Residents' Group, which represents people living closest to the hub, and a spokeswoman for the Minister, dubbed the talks 'constructive' following the meeting. Residents' spokesman Liam O'Gradaigh said the group stressed concerns about policies that favour Dublin over regional airports; an alleged €800 million yearly health cost arising from noise ; and the need to ensure airlines use flight paths for which planners have granted permission. READ MORE Locals complained of the impact on their lives in the three years since Dublin Airport opened its north runway at the launch of a report last month. 'We told the Minister of the importance of having local residents' involvement in developing the new aviation strategic plan,' he added. [ Living near Dublin Airport: `The noise is overwhelming' Opens in new window ] He argued that Government should address the fact 85 per cent of passengers travel through Dublin while 'Cork, Shannon and Knock' were underutilised. However, Sara Ryan, director of communications with the State airport operator DAA, pointed out that this was the pattern in many EU countries. She said Amsterdam Schiphol had 86 per cent of Dutch national traffic while Vienna handled 90 per cent of Austria's passengers. Ms Ryan argued that curtailing Dublin risked prompting airlines to shift routes out of Ireland. The DAA spokeswoman stressed that experts designed the paths taken by aircraft taking off from Dublin's north runway in line with safety regulations set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, part of the UN. 'The role of the Irish Aviation Authority is to review the flight paths proposed and ensure they align with safety requirements,' she added. DAA is evaluating the methodology used in the report that calculated the residents' health bill at €800 million, according to Ms Ryan. She noted that it was based on a study done for Brussels Airport, which assumed the same conditions applied in both cases and said DAA would take time to see how it applied in Dublin. Mr O'Brien told the Dublin Chamber business group this week that he had sought advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning on legislation that would lift the cap while respecting the independence of the planning process. The Government has pledged to raise the limit following talks with all interested parties.
