The Yonkers City Council has voted to make Yonkers radically noisier.   They raised daytime noise levels to 85 decibels - loud enough to cause hearing damage - and nighttime levels to 65 decibels, far exceeding health guidelines.

To make matters worse, the City for months ignored Freedom of Information requests and appeals. We were forced to initiate litigation, which remains unsettled. However, with court dates looming, the city has finally begun to release documents.

As of May 15, we have obtained enough documents to prove that the noise ordinance was initiated by an ethically challenged Council Member, just as she received a $1,000 campaign donation from somone who wanted the noise limits raised.

These  internal emails and  documents are THE NOISE PAPERS. Very soon we will release them to the public. You will soon see that when council members suddently decided to raise the noise limits, there was no discussion about health impact, quality of life or the well being of constituents. Not a single expert was consulted.  Not a single reference was made to a research report or even the results of a Google search
.
Had they bothered to spend a few minutes looking into it, they would have learned that the health impact of noise is well-documented. Excessive noise:

• Damages hearing and increases risk of heart disease
• Impairs children's learning and cognitive development
• Disrupts sleep and mental health
• Hits hardest in our most vulnerable communities

This is not acceptable. 

We, your constituents, demand the Council reverse its reckless and uninformed votes to make the city noisier. It would be a first step toward a more transparent, accountable government. Initiate the noise policy study you've promise to undertake. Craft a policy that promotes a healthy environment and preserves the quality of life in our neighborhoods 

For more information and research on urban noise impacts, visit www.quieteryonkers.org