Did you happen upon this page from using a Search Engine? If so, you may have used the words "Decible",  "Nuisance", Noise".  There have been visitors to this site from across the country.    From Oil Companies, various governmental agencies and individuals who are drivin to search the internet in hopes of finding information that may help them with the noise issue that they experience. I hope the information found on this site can help you.   Below,,  I've highlighted key area's of the pertaining rules that obviously need enforcement.  The State adopted these rules. Let us demand they get the industry to abide by them. .  The whole idea of this site "Screaming Silence",  is  to give helpful links & information as well as to gain public exposure to these issue's that may eventually inspire those in authority or influence to act responsibly in addressing the ill's created by the Gas & Oil Industry's practice that have invaded and disrupted our daily lives as well as tainting the health of our natural environment. Contacts - Who to write with your grievance Message Board   - Leave your personal testimony for others to view Voices -  Email and Letters sent in  . A special "thanks" to the  Michigan Environmental Council  for taking interest in this issue.

R 324.1015  Nuisance noise; "decibel," "decibels on the a-weighted  network,"
"noise-sensitive area," and "nuisance noise" defined.
  Rule 1015.  (1)   A  person  shall  not  cause  a  nuisance  noise  in  the
production, handling, or use of oil, gas, or brine or in the handling of  any
product associated with the production or use of oil, gas, or brine.
  (2)   If the supervisor or  authorized  representative  of  the  supervisor
receives 1 or more complaints of noise heard by  the  complainant  at  noise-
sensitive areas that is attributed to a surface facility, then the supervisor
may require the permittee to collect decibel readings to determine the  sound
levels at the noise-sensitive areas and at a distance of 1,320 feet from  the
facility.  If the sound level of the facility is more than 45 decibels on the
a-weighted network at a distance of 1,320 feet from the  facility,  then  the
supervisor or authorized representative of the supervisor  may  find  that  a
nuisance noise exists after considering all applicable information, including
the distance between the surface facility and the noise-sensitive areas,  the
sound levels at the noise-sensitive areas, and sound attributable to  sources
other than the surface facility.  The supervisor or authorized representative
of the supervisor may require appropriate noise control  measures  to  reduce
the decibel levels.   If  noise  control  measures  are  required,  then  the
permittee shall submit, to the supervisor or authorized representative of the
supervisor, for approval, an abatement plan and schedule  for  implementation
within  30  days  of  a  determination  by  the  supervisor   or   authorized
representative of the supervisor that noise control measures are necessary.

  (3)   As used in this rule:
  (a)   "Decibel" means a unit of sound level on a logarithmic scale measured
relative to the threshold of audible sound by the  human  ear  in  compliance
with the ANSI standard 1.1, entitled "Acoustical Terminology," 1994  edition,
which is adopted by reference in these rules.  Copies  of  the  standard  are
available for inspection at the  Lansing  office  of  the  geological  survey
division of the department of environmental quality.
Copies may be obtained from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,
Geological Survey Division, P.O. Box 30256, Lansing,  Michigan  48909,  at  a
cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of $100.00 each, and from  the
American National Standards Institute, 11 West  42nd  Street,  New  York,  NY
10036, at a cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of $100.00 each.
  (b)   "Decibels on the a-weighted network" means decibels measured  on  the
a-weighted network of a sound level meter, as specified in the ANSI  standard
1.4, entitled "Specifications for Sound Level Meters," 1983 edition, which is
adopted by reference in these rules.  Copies of the  standard  are  available
for inspection at the Lansing office of the geological survey division of the
department of environmental quality.
Copies may be obtained from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality,
Geological Survey Division, P.O. Box 30256, Lansing,  Michigan  48909,  at  a
cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of $70.00 each, and  from  the
American National Standards Institute, 11 West  42nd  Street,  New  York,  NY
10036, at a cost as of the time of adoption of these rules of $70.00 each.
  (c)    "Noise-sensitive  area"  means  a  residential  dwelling,  place  of
worship, school, or a hospital and  also  means  an  existing  site  that  is
maintained for public recreation for which quiet is a  primary  consideration
in the use of the site.
  (d)   "Nuisance noise" means any  noise  from  a  well  or  its  associated
surface facilities that causes injurious effects to human health or safety or
the unreasonable interference with  the  comfortable  enjoyment  of  life  or
property.

  History:  1996 MR 9, Eff. Sep. 19, 1996.
 

R 324.1016    Construction  standards  for  noise  abatement  at  compressors
associated with surface facilities.
  Rule 1016.  (1)  This rule shall apply  to  compressors  that  have  motors
rated for more than 150 horsepower.
  (2)   A permittee of a well who installs a compressor after  the  effective
date of these rules, or a permittee of a well who substantially  reconstructs
an enclosure for a compressor after the effective date of these rules,  shall
comply with all of the following provisions:
  (a)   The compressor, drive motor, and cooler shall be completely enclosed.
  (b)   The walls, doors, and roof of the enclosure shall be completely lined
with sound-absorbent material.
  (c)   The compressor drive motor shall be  equipped  with  a  hospital-type
muffler or the equivalent.
  (d)   Air intake and exhaust passages shall be constructed so as to include
at least 1 right-angle turn between the point of air entrance or exit  to  or
from the passage and the main volume of the compressor enclosure.
Air intake and  exhaust  passages  shall  be  completely  lined  with  sound-
absorbent material, unless the passages vent through the roof.
  (e)   The compressor shall be capable of operating with the enclosure doors
closed at ambient air temperatures of 85 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
"Doors" as used in this rule shall not include  necessary  openings  for  air
intake and exhaust passages.
  (3)   The supervisor or authorized representative  of  the  supervisor  may
grant an exception to the requirements of subrule  (2)  of  this  rule  if  a
permittee designs and constructs a compressor according to a  plan  submitted
to, and approved by, the  supervisor  or  authorized  representative  of  the
supervisor.  The plan shall provide for sound abatement equal to or exceeding
the sound abatement standard specified in subrule (2)(a) of this rule.
  (4)   A compressor which is installed as a replacement for, and on the same
site as, a compressor that was installed before the effective date  of  these
rules and which is an  equivalent  size  as  the  previous  compressors  not
subject to subrule (2) of this rule.

  History:  1996 MR 9, Eff. Sep. 19, 1996.

the above obtained from
the Office of Regulatory Reform
http://www.state.mi.us/orr/emi/admincode.asp?AdminCode=Single&Admin_Num=32400101&Dpt=EQ&RngHigh=

Notifying Surface Owners of Oil & Gas Activity
on their Property
click HERE
( http://www.michigan.gov/deq/1,1607,7-135-3311_4111_4231-8992--CI,00.html )

SUPERVISOR OF WELLS INSTRUCTION No. 2-94
NOTIFYING SURFACE OWNERS OF OIL AND GAS ACTIVITY
ON THEIR PROPERTY

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DEQ website / Oil & Gas related reference for you
click HERE
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/1,1607,7-135-3311_4111_4231---CI,00.html

Index page of the DEQ website on the Oil & Gas Industry
 

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If you are a Michigan resident or live elsewhere, the following link may be a great spot to check out
They offer a ton of information on different types of noise and how it has been proven that
certain noises and or continual noise effect human mental and physical health.
.
visit the
Noise Pollution Clearinghouse
for information, news and data concerning
the effects that noise has on both public health
and the health of our environment.

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