Descriptive characterization of sound levels in an environmental justice city before and during a global pandemic

• Published in: Environmental research 2021-08, Vol.199, p.111353-111353, Article 111353
• Main Authors: Walker, Erica D., Lee, Nina F., Scammell, Madeleine K., Feuer, Arielle P., Power, Maria B., Lane, Kevin J., Adamkiewicz, Gary, Levy, Jonathan I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Environmental justice; Environmental sound; Frequency; Noise; Sound; Urban
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111353

Many environmental justice communities face elevated exposures to multiple stressors, given biases in urban and environmental policy and planning. This paper aims to evaluate sound level exposure in a densely populated environmental justice city in close proximity to major roadways, a nearby airport and high levels of industrial activity. In this study we collected various sound level metrics to evaluate the loudness and frequency composition of the acoustical environment in Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA. A total of 29 week-long sites were collected from October 2019 to June 2020, a time period that also included the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically altered activity patterns and corresponding sound level exposures. We found that Chelsea is exposed to high levels of sound, both day and night (65 dB (A), and 80 dB and 90 dB for low frequency, and infrasound sound levels). A spectral analysis shows that 63 Hz was the dominant frequency. Distance to major roads and flight activity (both arrivals and departures) were most strongly correlated with all metrics, most notably with metrics describing contributing from lower frequencies. Overall, we found similar patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic but at levels up to 10 dB lower. Our results demonstrate the importance of noise exposure assessments in environmental justice communities and the importance of using additional metrics to describe communities inundated with significant air, road, and industrial sound levels. It also provides a snapshot of how much quieter communities can be with careful and intentional urban and environmental policy and planning. •We conducted a noise exposure assessment before and during COVID-19 stay-at-home advisories in an environmental justice and sanctuary city.•Like many EJCs, this city is in close proximity to major rail, road, and air networks and industrial operations.Pre-pandemic, Chelsea was exposed to similar sound levels, both day and night, across all metrics.•A spectral analysis shows that 63 Hz was the dominant frequency.Distance to major roads and flight activity (both arrivals and departures) were most strongly correlated with all metrics, most notably with metrics describing contributing from lower frequencies.•Overall, we found similar patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic but at levels up to 10 decibels lower.•Comprehensive noise assessments in EJCs are particularly important as they house our most vulnerable residents.•We also show the importanc