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Evaluation of Existing Noise Environment in the Project Vicinity <br /> 4. The evaluation of the existing noise environment indicates that the residences <br /> located along Burwood Road are not significantly affected by truck traffic noise <br /> along River Road. On March 23,2010,j.c. brennan & associates, Inc. conducted <br /> noise level measurements in the front yard of 22201 Burwood Road (Adrian <br /> Residence). The noise environment in the front yard was dominated by truck <br /> traffic on River Road. The hourly measured Leq was 51 dBA and the mean SEL <br /> values from trucks passbys were as high as 71 dBA. The BAC report indicates <br /> that this residence is affected primarily by on-site plant operations. <br /> 5. The BAC report conducted continuous hourly ambient noise measurements at two <br /> locations along Burwood Road, which are identified as Sites A and B. The noise <br /> measurements were conducted at the property lines of the project site. In each <br /> case the noise measurement sites were located in a depression. The residence <br /> located at 2220 Burwood Road is elevated considerably above the noise <br /> measurement Site A. During the site visit, the plant noise levels at the back yard <br /> property line of the residence were audibly higher than the plant noise levels at <br /> the Site A location. However, throughout the report, Site A was used to evaluate <br /> the plant noise levels at this residence. The San Joaquin County General Plan <br /> noise level standards clearly state that the noise level criteria are applied at the <br /> residential outdoor activity area. Therefore, we do not believe that the noise <br /> measurement data collected in the BAC report accurately reflect the noise levels <br /> associated with the plant operations. <br /> 6. On Pages 11 through 14, and Page 19 of the BAC report they utilize the noise <br /> measurement data collected at Sites A and B to isolate the asphalt plant noise <br /> levels. This process was used to determine the potential noise levels during <br /> nighttime operations. The report concludes that the asphalt plant noise levels will <br /> be between 35 and 45 dB Leq. Once again, the noise measurement locations do <br /> not accurately represent potential noise levels at the elevated residences. This is <br /> due to the fact that the noise measurement location used for evaluating the asphalt <br /> plant operations was located in a depression. In addition, since the noise <br /> measurement data used to extrapolate the asphalt plant operations were due to <br /> daytime asphalt plant operations, and were collected at a distance of over 2,000 <br /> feet from the plant, the expected nighttime noise levels, due to atmospheric <br /> conditions could increase by as much as 5 dBA to 10 dBA. Therefore, we do not <br /> believe that the asphalt batch plant noise levels have accurately been identified. <br /> An accurate method for evaluating asphalt plant noise levels is to run the plant <br /> during the nighttime hours, and collect noise level data during the operations. <br /> This would provide an accurate representation of potential noise impacts. At the <br /> very least, reference noise level measurements of the asphalt plant should have <br /> been conducted on the Munn Perkins site. These reference measurements could <br /> have been used to generate noise contours associated with the operations. The <br /> noise level data can be used as direct inputs into a model which can account for <br /> 5 <br />