Introduction of the Protecting Homes From Trains Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Protecting Homes from Trains Act of 2024, which would establish a grant program for the design and construction of barriers to mitigate rail activity that may harm homes and their occupants, including derailments, noise and vibrations.

The Noise Control Act of 1972 created the Office of Noise Abatement and Control within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), granting EPA authority and oversight over noise control regulations. However, years of defunding left this office without any resources to conduct enforcement, forcing EPA to phase out the office in 1982. District of Columbia residents frequently tell me about the negative impact of train noise and vibrations on their lives. The noise and vibrations can harm health and quality of life, and can even harm the structural integrity of homes. Congress and the executive branch must do more to reduce this harm.

As a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I have been working to reduce transportation noise and vibrations. I have convened community meetings with the Federal Railroad Administration, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to examine how to reduce train noise and vibrations.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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