Promoting quiet recreation in Wisconsin.
Opposing the coming attempts to sell off Wisconsin's natural heritage.
Fighting denial about climate change. When are we hitting the streets?


Monday, December 05, 2005

New snowmobile noise regs coming

You can read the 3 paragraph article by Shawn Johnson at the link above. I have a lot of concerns:

-88 decibels is twice as loud as the DNR's original recommendation-which was around 76 decibels. (remember that decibels are an exponential measurement)
-Why should the snowmobile industry representatives be allowed to determine what "too quiet" is? If a few machines didn't meet the previous test, why shouldn't the manufacturers change their machines rather than make the rest of us suffer? It IS possible to muffle a machine to cut down the noise. They choose not to.
-The new test will require decibel meters. Does that mean that each warden or officer will have one? And if they don't, will they still be able to ticket excessively loud snowmobiles? If there is no credible enforcement, we can expect snowmobiles to be even louder this winter.
-Finally, will wardens in the field still be able to make on the spot determinations that a machine has been modified to be louder, and ticket the snowmobiler?

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