TITLE 35: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
SUBTITLE H: NOISE
CHAPTER I: POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
PART 901 SOUND EMISSION STANDARDS AND LIMITATIONS FOR PROPERTY LINE-NOISE-SOURCES
SECTION 901.109 HIGHLY-IMPULSIVE SOUND FROM EXPLOSIVE BLASTING


 

Section 901.109  Highly-Impulsive Sound From Explosive Blasting

 

a)         During the daytime hours that cover the period after sunrise and before sunset, no person shall cause or allow any explosive blasting conducted on any Class C land other than land used as specified by LBCS Codes 8300 and 8520 so as to allow the emission of sound to any receiving Class A or B land which exceeds the allowable outdoor C-weighted sound levels, measured with the slow  dynamic characteristic, specified in the following table, when measured at any point, of reasonable interference with the use of such receiving Class A or B land.

 

Allowable Outdoor C-Weighted Sound Exposure Levels in Decibels of Explosive Blasting Sounds Emitted to Receiving Class A or B Land from Any Class C Land other than Land Used as Specified by LBCS Code 8300 or 8500

Receiving Class A Land

Receiving Class B Land

107

112

 

The allowable sound exposure level limits in the above table must be lowered by three decibels (3 dB) for each doubling of the number of blasts during the day or night.

 

b)         Compliance with outdoor peak sound pressure level limits in the following table shall constitute prima facie level limits of this rule when measured on such receiving Class A or B land.

 

Equivalent Maximum Sound Pressure Level

 (Peak) Limits in Decibels

Lower Frequency Limit of Measuring System for Flat Response, a Variation from Linear Response of ± 3 dB (Hz)

Receiving Class A Land (dB)

Receiving Class B Land (dB)

 

 

 

≤  2.0 but > 0.1

133

133

 

c)         During the period defined by both the beginning of the nighttime hours (10:00 pm) or sunset, whichever occurs earlier, and the ending of the nighttime hours (7:00 am) or sunrise, whichever occurs later, the allowable sound level limits in subsections (a) and (b) must be reduced by 10 decibels except in emergency situations where rain, lightning, other atmospheric conditions, or operator or public safety requires unscheduled nighttime hour explosive blasting.

 

d)         Persons causing or allowing explosive blasting to be conducted on any Class C land other than land used as specified by LBCS Code 8300 or 8500 must notify the local public of such blasting prior to its occurrence, except when emergency situations require unscheduled blasting, by publication of a blasting schedule, identifying the work days or dates and time periods when explosives are expected to be detonated, at least every three months in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality of the blast site.

 

(Source:  Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 5533, effective March 10, 2006)