Quiet Communities Act of 1978
Public Law 95-609 · S. 3083 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 8, 1978 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Sen. John Culver (D-IA)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Quiet Communities Act - Amends the Noise Control Act of 1972 to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) disseminate educational materials on the public health effect of noise and the most effective means of noise control; (2) conduct or finance specified research projects on noise control; (3) administer a nationwide Quiet Communities Program designed to assist local governments in controlling levels; and (4) provide technical assistance to State and local governments in implementing noise control programs.
Amends the Federal Aviation Act to establish a time limit of 90 days following a public hearing on aircraft noise control regulations within which the Federal Aviation Administration must publish such regulations as prescribed by the Environmental Protection Agency or give notice in the Federal Register that it does not intend to publish the regulations as prescribed.
Prescribes a civil penalty for violators of the Noise Control Act.
Permits a State or local official to petition the Administrator to adopt more stringent regulations for noise control than originally prescribed, if needed to protect public health or welfare.
Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Makes technical amendments to the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1976.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to jointly study the aircraft noise effects from an airport on communities located in a State other than the State in which such airport is located. Sets forth criteria for the selection of the airport to be studied. Requires that a report on such study be submitted to Congress.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Nov 8, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-609.
- Oct 27, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 13, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Oct 10, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 12647.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jul 19, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.