44 - Noise levels on pleasure vessels.
§ 44. Noise levels on pleasure vessels. 1. The provisions of this section shall apply to the navigable waters of the state including all tidewaters bordering on and lying within the boundaries of Nassau and Suffolk counties. 2. (a) No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any pleasure vessel in or upon the waters of this state in such a manner as to exceed a noise level of 90dB(A) when subjected to a stationary sound level test as prescribed by SAE J2005. (b) No person shall operate a pleasure vessel on the waters of this state in such a manner as to exceed a noise level of 75dB(A) measured as specified in SAE J1970. Provided, that such measurement shall not preclude a stationary sound level test as prescribed by SAE J2005. 3. Sale or manufacture. No person shall manufacture or offer for sale any pleasure vessel or engine for use in a pleasure vessel for use on the waters of this state if such vessel or engine, at the time of manufacture or sale, cannot be operated in such a manner so as to comply with the sound level requirements provided in this section. 4. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any pleasure vessel in or upon the waters of this state that is equipped with an altered muffler or a muffler cutout, bypass or otherwise reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of any muffler or muffler system installed in accordance with this section. 5. No person shall remove, alter or otherwise modify in any way a muffler or muffler system in a manner which will prevent it from being operated in accordance with this section. 6. Exceptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to pleasure vessels designed, manufactured and sold for the sole purpose of competing in racing events and for no other purpose. Any such exemption or exception shall be so documented in any and every sale agreement and shall be formally acknowledged by signature on the part of both the buyer and the seller and copies of said agreement shall be maintained by both parties. A copy shall be kept on board whenever the pleasure vessel is operated. Any pleasure vessel sold under this exemption may only be operated on the waters of this state in accordance with this section. The provisions of this section shall also not apply to: (a) Pleasure vessels which are competing in or participating for a definite race over a given course held under the auspices of any bona fide club or racing association between the hours of nine o'clock in the morning and sunset, which has been approved pursuant to the provisions of section thirty-four of this chapter, and all provisions of such section have been complied with or pursuant to authorization by the commandant of the United States Coast Guard. (b) An authorized agent of the federal, state or municipal government when operating a pleasure vessel necessary to carry out his or her official duty of enforcement, search and rescue, firefighting or research programs. (c) A pleasure vessel being operated by a boat or marine engine manufacturer for the purposes of testing and/or development. (d) A pleasure vessel manufactured prior to nineteen hundred sixty-five. 7. Any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this section who has reason to believe that a pleasure vessel is not in compliance with the noise levels established in this section may direct the operator of such pleasure vessel to submit the pleasure vessel to an on-site test to measure noise level, with the officer on board if such officer chooses, and the operator shall comply with such request. If such pleasure vessel exceeds the decibel levels established in this section, the officer may direct the operator to take immediate andreasonable measures to correct the violation, including returning the pleasure vessel to a mooring and keeping the pleasure vessel at such mooring until the violation is corrected or ceases. 8. Any officer who conducts pleasure vessel sound level tests as provided in this section shall be qualified in pleasure vessel noise testing by the department of parks, recreation and historic preservation. Such qualifications shall include but may not be limited to the selection of the measurement site, and the calibration and use of noise testing equipment. 9. Penalties. (a) Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not to exceed fifty dollars for the first offense and not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars for a second or subsequent offense. However, the court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of this section would be liable if such person supplies the court with proof within thirty days of the issuance of the summons that he purchased his pleasure vessel prior to the effective date of this section, that the pleasure vessel's muffler was not altered or made inoperable so as to result in a violation of the provisions of this section, and that the pleasure vessel has been repaired, altered or modified so as to be in compliance with the provisions of this section. Provided, however, that such waiver of fine shall not apply to a second or subsequent conviction under this section. (b) Any person who alters or makes inoperable an effective muffler system so that such system is no longer in compliance with this section shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars. (c) All fines and forfeitures collected pursuant to the provisions of this section by any court, judge, magistrate or other officer referred to in subdivision one of section thirty-nine of the judiciary law, establishing a unified court budget, shall be paid to the state commissioner of taxation and finance, within the first ten days of the month following collection to be deposited in a fund known as the boating noise level enforcement fund established pursuant to section ninety-one-b of the state finance law. The office of parks, recreation and historic preservation shall distribute the fines to local law enforcement officials according to the provisions of section seventy-nine-b of this chapter for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this section. 10. All fines and forfeitures collected by any other court, judge or magistrate or other officer shall be paid to the state comptroller within the first ten days of the month following collection to be deposited in a fund known as the boating noise level enforcement fund established pursuant to section ninety-one-b of the state finance law. The office of parks, recreation and historic preservation shall distribute the fines to local law enforcement officials according to the provisions of section seventy-nine-b of this chapter for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this section.