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General Information

The Rutgers Noise Technical Assistance Center (RNTAC) is part of the Air and Noise Pollution Training Program in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey.

The Rutgers Noise Center has trained thousands of investigators from all across the United States in sound level measurement for the purposes of evaluating compliance with local or state noise codes. Courts from coast to coast, and beyond recognize the certification conferred by our courses, including “Community Noise Enforcement”. Our training is specifically designed to help investigators become comfortable with the techniques, strategies and technology of sound level measurement for the purposes of regulatory compliance analysis and evidence documentation. Our courses assume no prior knowledge, just a desire to learn a very useful skill.

The RNTAC has been providing noise assistance for over 40 years. We are the only remaining Noise Technical Assistance Center originally contracted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Noise Abatement and Control. Since the closure of ONAC in the early 1980’s, all other regional centers have closed. The RNTAC continues to serve the country as a reference source on a wide range of noise pollution issues.

The RNTAC has served as the agent of training for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for many years. State law requires our certification course for every noise enforcement officer in New Jersey. Investigators from out-of-state have also attended our quarterly courses offered at Rutgers University, including those from: Colorado, Rhode Island, Texas, New York, Washington State, California, Pennsylvania, Florida, Hawaii, Bolivia, etc. We have presented customized on-site courses in jurisdictions as diverse as: Jacksonville, FL; Shelter Island, NY; Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK; DeKalb County GA; City of New York; Montgomery County, MD; Seattle, WA; Fairfax, VA; State of Massachusetts; Panama City Beach, FL; and, Anchorage, AK. We’ve even offered the course internationally in Vancouver, B.C. and Barbados, West Indies.

As far as we know, we are the only certification program in the United States. Aside from training, in the past year alone we have assisted hundreds of individuals, townships, police departments, corporations, health departments, etc. We’ve also helped the following cities to write and adopt noise ordinances: Fort Lauderdale, FL, New York City, and Juneau, AK. We have assisted people from Idaho to Canada to New Zealand.

The RNTAC conducts sponsored research for governmental agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, resulting in publications and adopted regulations.

Eric Zwerling, Director of the RNTAC is widely published in the field, including: “Regulation of Amplified Sound Sources,” “Turning Down the Volume: Effective Strategies for Community Noise Enforcement,” “Community Noise Enforcement: Reviving a Moribund Program or Developing One Anew,” “Local Noise Enforcement Options and Model Noise Ordinance With Pre-Approved language for the State of New Jersey,” and “Analysis of the ‘Plainly Audible ‘ Standard for Noise Ordinances”. These papers have helped impacted communities to understand that sound level measurement for enforcement purposes is as mature and admissible as breathalyzer and radar.

Mr. Zwerling has delivered numerous invited papers and presentations, “Noise Primer For Legal Professionals,” at the New York State Bar Association Environmental Law Section Fall Meeting, and “Environmental Health and Noise: Issues and Answers,” at the New Jersey Environmental Health Association Annual Public Health Conference. He has spoken at conferences including: American Association of Code Enforcement; Acoustical Society of America, New York State Association of Towns; Institute of Noise Control Engineering, Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys; International Municipal Lawyers Association, and the Michigan Municipal League. These presentations have titles such as “Effective Strategies for Community Noise Enforcement,” and “Nuts and Bolts of Writing a Noise Ordinance.”

Rutgers Noise Technical Assistance Center (RNTAC)
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
14 College Farm Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8551
Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences Bldg (ENRS) | 848-932-5782
Questions? Contact Carol Broccoli at carolbr@njaes.rutgers.edu