A reader sent a letter to the owners of the Track in Krzywa but, unfortunately, received no response. The management of Tor Krzywa responded only to our questions, informing us that the facility administrator had built a fence made of precast concrete elements which, according to the management, effectively limits noise emissions toward the village of Osła and the nearest neighboring homes.

The reader describes what this noise protection looks like in practice:

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am turning to you with a request for help. I live in Osła, near the former Krzywa airfield, where Tor Krzywa operates. I believe that places of this kind are needed and useful; young drivers can let off steam there as much as they like, but for us residents, it is a horror. The track has not been adapted in any way to reduce noise for the surrounding neighborhood of single-family homes. While it is possible to endure the roar of engines and squealing tires during the week, it is becoming increasingly difficult at weekends. We cannot use our properties; we have to sit behind closed doors and windows in our homes during 30-degree heat; we cannot spend time in the garden with our children or spend time on the terrace with friends. Every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., a terrible din begins and lasts until late evening. The owners of Tor Krzywa do not want to respond to my requests to take swift action aimed at limiting noise nuisance; my written requests are left unanswered. I am therefore turning to you for help: what steps can we residents take to limit the noise from the track?

The reader

Response from the Management of Tor Krzywa regarding protecting neighbors from noise:

The track is located in an area of intensified economic activity, while the nearest residential buildings are 1,500 meters away, in Szczytnica. There, any noise from the track is muffled by four lanes of the busy A4 motorway separating us, as well as bases, warehouses, waste-sorting facilities, numerous manufacturing plants, fuel stations, and thousands of passing cars. The nearest buildings in the village of Osła, meanwhile, are more than 1,000 meters away. The facility administrator has built a fence made of precast concrete elements that effectively limits noise emissions in that direction. We are open to dialogue with residents of nearby towns and villages and will make every effort to provide them with reliable information about the investment and answer their questions and any concerns. From the outset, the investment has been carried out in accordance with Polish law and applicable standards, and our priority is to ensure that the track has no negative impact on the environment or the comfort of residents of nearby towns and villages.

Management of Tor Krzywa

How to Protect Yourself from Noise? Authorities Responsible for Interventions and Complaints

We asked the head of the Environment Department of the Bolesławiec County Office how to protect oneself from noise. The County Office’s response is quoted below:

A person complaining about noise should report the problem to the regional environmental protection inspector responsible for the location where the noise is emitted—in this case, to the Voivodeship Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra Branch 28 Warszawska Street, 58-500 Jelenia Góra, telephone no. 75 767 94 12.

After measurements have been conducted, if excessive noise emissions are found, the WIOŚ in Jelenia Góra will refer the matter to the competent environmental protection authority for a decision on the matter.

Noise regulations are governed by the Act of April 27, 2001, Environmental Protection Law (consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2020, item 2019).
Article 115a(1) of that Act provides that if an environmental protection authority determines, based on measurements carried out by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection, that permissible noise levels have been exceeded outside an establishment as a result of its operations, that authority issues a decision specifying the permissible noise level; exceeding the permissible noise level means exceeding the LAeq D or LAeq L noise indicator.

Sabina Guszpil, Head of the County Promotion Section, Bolesławiec County Office