Massachusetts regulates industrial and commercial noise statewide through the Department of Environmental Protection under the Air Pollution Control regulations, prohibiting noise that creates a condition of air pollution.
Under 310 CMR 7.10, MassDEP defines unreasonable noise as sound exceeding ambient levels by more than 10 dBA at the property line or any inhabited residence, or producing a pure tone condition. This applies to all stationary sources statewide including factories, HVAC equipment, generators, and commercial operations. DEP Policy 90-001 establishes measurement methodology. Enforcement is shared between DEP and local boards of health.
Civil penalties up to $25,000 per day per violation under MGL c. 111, Section 142A; cease and desist orders; equipment shutdown.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Essex County, MA
Light trespass, a neighbor's glare spilling onto your property, is controlled by town outdoor-lighting bylaws across Essex County, not by state law. Fixtures...
Essex County, MA
Massachusetts has no statewide dark-sky law, so night-sky protection in Essex County comes from town outdoor-lighting bylaws. Rowley, Rockport, and other com...
Essex County, MA
Parks in Essex County close at night. State conservation land follows a dawn-to-dusk rule under 302 CMR 12.03, and each town sets matching hours for its own ...
Essex County, MA
Massachusetts has no statewide juvenile curfew, and Essex County has no county code. A few towns keep local nighttime curfews, but the state's high court lim...
Essex County, MA
Commercial drone work anywhere in Essex County runs under the FAA's Part 107 rule. Massachusetts adds no county permit; operators hold a Remote Pilot Certifi...
Essex County, MA
Recreational drone flying across Essex County follows federal FAA rules, not a county code. Fly under 400 feet, within sight, pass the free TRUST test, and r...
See how Essex County's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
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