Portland, ME Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Portland's main industrial-noise rule is Sec. 17-19 (Loading of scrap metal), which states: 'Between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day, no person shall engage in the loading or unloading of scrap metal into or from ships, vessels, or barges; nor shall any person, during said hours, engage in scrap metal stacking or piling preparatory to such loading or unloading, at the site thereof, or on any property adjacent thereto' (Ord. No. 170-85, 4-1-85). The rule was enacted to protect East End / waterfront residents from overnight noise at port scrap-metal operations. An exception preserves shipyard work directly related to construction, repair, or refurbishing of vessels. Portland does not publish numeric decibel limits for general industrial operations — instead, industrial noise that 'shall either annoy, disturb, injure or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others' is captured by the broad disorderly-conduct noise prohibition in Sec. 17-17(c). Industrial operations are also subject to Maine Department of Environmental Protection licensing under 38 MRS § 413 where pollutant or process emissions are involved. State-law disorderly conduct (17-A MRS § 501-A) provides a Class E criminal backstop for unreasonable industrial noise on or audible from public places.