Brief Description: Creating a task force to study off-road vehicle noise management.

Sponsors: Senators Sheldon, Fraser and Kline.

Senate Committee on Water, Energy & Environment
House Committee on Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks

Background: It is a traffic infraction for any person to operate any nonhighway vehicle without an adequate muffling device. The muffling device must limit the vehicle noise to no more than:
   

• 86 decibels at 50 feet as measured by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test procedure; or
• 105 decibels a distance of 20 inches from the exhaust outlet.

There are no current restrictions regarding the operation of nonhighway vehicles near residences or livestock.

Summary: A task force on off-road vehicle noise management is created. The task force consists of eight legislators. Additional participants are invited by the legislative members including persons representing: county commissioners, port districts, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Ecology, the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, the Parks and Recreation Commission, manufacturers of off-road vehicles, the United States Forest Service, recreational users, and interested citizens.

The task force will review the issues regarding: (1) noise from off-road vehicles; and (2) the availability of, and barriers to, using public lands or other large ownerships to create areas where off-road vehicles can be operated.

The task force reports its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2005.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      44   4
House      90   6

Effective: July 24, 2005