Forest Service officials to consider relaxing noise restrictions for ATVs, other vehicles at the Oregon Dunes

By Donald Orr (OPB)
May 31, 2021 1 p.m.
An ATV rider wearing a helmet stands to the left of an ATV while two people wearing U.S. Forest Service uniforms inspect it. They are on sand next to a sign that reads, "SOUND MONITORING STATION."

Forest officials monitor the sound levels of a motorist's ATV at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

Courtesy of the Siuslaw National Forest

Siuslaw National Forest officials are seeking public input on a new proposal that would relax restrictions on how loud ATVs, dune buggies and other motorized vehicles can be at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

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The proposal comes after years of monitoring the decibel levels of vehicles in the area. That data led officials to determine that most modern off-highway vehicles can’t realistically meet the current noise standards — initially set by the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area in 1994.

Officials said the goal of the proposed changes would reduce noise impacts on neighboring communities, without creating impossible standards for riders to meet.

The amendment would increase the threshold for front-engine vehicles from 93 to 95 decibels, — about the sound level of a motorcycle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All other motorized vehicles would have their limit increased to 97 decibels. Forest officials said that most noise complaints stem from vehicles registering over 99 decibels — as loud as a car horn at 16 feet, according to the CDC.

Deputy district ranger Garrit Craig said the proposed changes would also be more consistent with noise regulations set by the state.

“By raising the limit to better align with the state and being within the range that is attainable by contemporary stock vehicles, we’ll be better able to work with riders on compliance and provide the enforcement necessary to manage the noise violations that most impact our neighbors,” said Craig in a statement. “We encourage members of the public to review the project information and let us know what they think.”

The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the proposal until June 15.

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