Air Pollution Control Commission
The Boston Air Pollution Control Commission works to maintain healthy air quality and noise levels in the City.
The Commission works to make our City a healthier and more comfortable place to live, work, and visit. We regulate activities that affect air quality and noise levels.
The Commission's programs and policies support our work to make Boston a carbon-neutral community by 2050. Reducing air pollution results in healthier air for Bostonians. We also reduce Boston's contribution to global climate change.
Have questions? Contact:
Air Pollution Control CommissionBoston, MA 02201
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Proposed regulation changes
We're revising the procedures and criteria for the issuance of permits for the Downtown, South Boston, and East Boston Parking Freezes.
View current regulations, proposed revisions, and redline changes.
NOTE: A discussion and vote is scheduled for a September 16, 2020, hearing.
Boston Air Pollution Control Commission
The Air Pollution Control Commission reviews, permits, and regulates activities that relate to air quality and noise, including:
- parking and idling
- abrasive blasting and chemical cleaning of buildings
- construction, and
- open burning and smoke from industrial sites.
We work with many other City Hall departments, and local, state and federal agencies, to make Boston a healthier place to live.
We hold public hearings every three months. During hearings, the Commission reviews applications for parking freeze permits. The Commission may also discuss or make decisions related to:
- the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO)
- noise regulations, or
- other air pollution regulations.
We hold hearings from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Room 900 at Boston City Hall (9th Floor), unless otherwise noted. Detailed hearing information will appear on the City's public notices page.
| Filing Deadline | Hearing Date |
|---|---|
| April 17, 2020 | June 17, 2020 |
| July 17, 2020 | September 16, 2020 |
| October 16, 2020 | December 16, 2020 |
Parking Freezes
Parking freezes reduce air pollution caused by cars by limiting off-street parking in a given area. The Commission oversees the Downtown, East Boston, and South Boston Parking Freezes. You can view a map of parking freeze areas in the City.
Our parking freeze program is part of the Massachusetts State Implementation Plan (SIP). This plan ensures the state meets air quality standards under the federal Clean Air Act. Learn more about Boston's parking freezes at our dedicated program page:
Noise in Boston
The Boston Municipal Code sets standards for reasonable noise levels. It also sets maximum acceptable noise levels for different times of day. An unreasonable level of noise is:
- anything louder than 50 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., or
- anything louder than 70 decibels at any time, except for permitted construction.
The Commission has developed regulations that apply to residential, business, and industrial districts. Our Commission and the Boston Police Department work together to enforce the rules on noise.
AFTER-HOURS CONSTRUCTION
Inspectional Services approves emergency after-hours construction on a weekly basis. Find approved permits near you. You can also contact your neighborhood coordinator to learn about approved after-hours construction in your area.
For noise concerns related to construction and industrial sites, or ventilation and air-conditioning equipment:
- During normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., you can call us at 617-635-3850 or email APCC@boston.gov.
- Outside of normal office hours, you can call 3-1-1 with your concerns.
For noise concerns related to loud parties, sound amplification devices, or car alarms:
- Please call 9-1-1.
For noise concerns related to airplanes, contact the Massachusetts Port Authority. You can:
- Complete Massport's online form, or
- Call Massport at 617-561-3333 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Other Air Pollution Regulations
Other Pollution Regulations
Buildings account for over seventy percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Boston. The Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) requires that buildings over 35,000 square feet report their annual energy and water usage to the City. It also requires the City to make this data public. Buildings covered must also take steps to reduce their emissions every five years through energy actions or audits.
Abrasive blasting uses water, sand, or other materials under high pressure to clean surfaces. Chemical cleaning uses chemicals and water to clean surfaces. If your project requires abrasive blasting or chemical cleaning, you will need to apply for a permit:
The Commission enforces Massachusetts General Law Chapter 310, CMR 7.00. The law states: “no person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while said vehicle is stopped for a foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes.” Violators may be fined up to $100 for the first offense.
Information from partner agencies
The Air Pollution Control Commission's programs support state and federal implementation of the Clean Air Act. We work in collaboration with:
- the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
- the Massachusetts Port Authority, and
- the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as health boards in neighboring municipalities.
The Clean Air Act calls for states and EPA to solve air pollution problems through programs using the latest science and...
This site contains information about State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and other air quality regulations.
Learn about the Commonwealth’s regulations, projects, and permitting that protect air quality in Massachusetts.
AirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data, created by the EPA and other federal, state, tribal and local agencies.
Commission Info
Current members
| Member | Appointed | Expires | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julien Farland | Active | ||
| Russell Preston | 11/4/2019 | 9/1/2022 | Active |
| Sarah Lee | 11/4/2019 | 9/1/2022 | Active |
| Gregory Rooney | Active | ||
| Richard Davey | 1/3/2020 | 9/1/2022 | Active |