Councillor Ewa Pawlikowska's reaction to the publication on noise measurements
Councillor Ewa Pawlikowska refers to a recent publication concerning noise tests conducted on the new Zakopianka in Nowy Targ. Her statement explains that suggesting that the ordered acoustic tests are pointless and unfounded does not give the full picture of the situation.
According to the councilor, the measurements are not carried out for the benefit of GDDKiA, because this institution clearly declares that it relies solely on its own, formally commissioned measurements, carried out in accordance with legal regulations. In the current conditions, GDDKiA is not obliged to commission tests on its own, and the installation of acoustic screens can only take place in accordance with the statutory deadlines resulting from the regulations on road investments.
The councilor emphasizes that the research commissioned by the city authorities, conducted by an accredited acoustic laboratory, is aimed at providing objective evidence that exceeding noise standards is not only a matter of subjective feelings of residents. The results of these measurements can provide a solid basis for taking further steps – both in administrative procedures and potential legal actions directed at the bodies supervising the activities of GDDKiA, such as the Ministry of Infrastructure or local parliamentarians. They can also help to engage the appropriate environmental protection authorities, for example the voivodeship marshal.
In her commentary, Ewa Pawlikowska also explains that the activities of the Orion Foundation, consisting in carrying out noise measurements for free, do not meet the formal criteria specified in the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of 2 October 2007. According to this regulation, only tests performed by accredited acoustic laboratories may be treated as credible evidence within the framework of formal administrative or court procedures.
FROM THE AUTHOR:
The article presents the position of GDDKiA, expressed by spokesman Kacper Michna, who confirmed that the institution does not plan to conduct its own noise measurements before the statutory deadline. Both publications clearly state that the expert opinions commissioned by the city, worth PLN 11,000, will be carried out by a company with the required accreditations. Additionally, the Orion Foundation, acting at the invitation of councillor Mariusz Wcisła, performs its analyses free of charge, but does not have formal accreditation.
The effect of the entire action – aimed at strengthening the arguments of the city authorities and referring the matter to the appropriate institutions – will become clear soon. It remains to be hoped that this initiative will contribute to faster taking of appropriate actions by the bodies responsible for noise control, before GDDKiA decides to carry out its own measurements in accordance with the law.
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