Technical assistance to the Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) for the 5th round of noise mapping and action planning under the Environmental Noise Directive (END).

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The ‘Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance unit’ within the EPA Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring (ORM) is responsible for overseeing the strategic noise mapping process required under the Environmental Noise Directive. The Environmental Noise Regulations 2018 (S.I No. 549 of 2018) , (and prior to that the Noise Regulations 2006) transpose EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise, more commonly known as the Environmental Noise Directive (END). This Directive aims to provide a common framework to avoid, prevent or reduce, on a prioritised basis, the harmful effects of exposure to environmental noise. It sets out a two-stage process for addressing environmental noise by requiring Member States to: • Establish the extent of the noise environment by preparing ‘strategic noise maps’ for major roads, railways, airports and agglomerations. • Based on the results of these maps, the competent authorities in each Member State is required to develop action plans to reduce the level of noise where necessary and to maintain environmental noise quality where it is good. The first 5-year noise mapping process covered the period from 2004-2008. The third (2014-18) and fourth cycles (2019-2024) addressed noise from major sources over a specified thresholds as follows: • Agglomeration with 100,000 or more inhabitants: • Major Roads which exceed 3 million vehicles per year • Major Railways with 30,000 or more train passages per year, and, • Major Airports with 50,000 or more movements per year (no change from the first cycle) The fourth cycle has now almost been completed, and preparatory work for the fifth cycle (2025-2028) will be commencing during 2025. The fifth cycle (called Round 5) will also need to incorporate the CNOSSOS-EU (common noise methodologies) as was carried out for the Round 4 cycle of mapping. • For background, the Round 4 Strategic Noise Maps are available on EPA Maps under 'Environment and Wellbeing' and 'Noise' • Some explanatory information can be viewed at: https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/noise/noise-mapping-and-action-plans/

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