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Gov. Hochul fills road salt task force seats | News, Sports, Jobs - Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed members to the Adirondack Road Salt Task Force on Thursday, more than two weeks after the committee’s deadline to present its recommendations for salt-spreading alternatives during winter months.

The 14-member task force was created under the Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act which former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law last December, but the task force did not have any members appointed to it until last week.

Now that the task force is staffed, it will review the causes and potential solutions to reducing and mitigating the harm of road salt currently corrupting wells and natural waters around the Adirondacks.

“It’s definitely better late than never,” said Dan Kelting, executive director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College, who was one of Hochul’s appointments to the task forced announced Thursday.

But he said the delay means another year of opportunity to work on the issue has been lost.

“We add another year of high salt … that’s just one more year added to the total,” he said.

The task force will need a new deadline for its report, he said. With the amount of work ahead of them, he estimates it will be several months before that report is finished.

Kelting said he was “excited and honored” to be appointed to the task force and said it feels good to see the science he and his colleagues have been working on make an impact on state practices.

“It’s really a culmination of over a decade of work that we’ve done on this subject,” Kelting said.

There is no one solution, Kelting said, but, “we’ve got to do something different.”

The Adirondacks need safe roads, he said, but its also needs safe drinking water and clean natural waters.

What’s the harm of road salt?

Road salt is a seasonal pollutant. It’s used to make roads safe in the winter, creating friction on the icy paths. But it doesn’t stay on the roads. It runs off into waterways and wells, where its sodium content can have corrupting effects — altering aquatic life, making well water undrinkable, rusting out houses’ plumbing and appliances and rusting vehicles.

High-sodium water is also a hazard for people with high blood pressure.

It is costly for people with contaminated wells to buy bottled water or drill a new well.

Kelting estimates that since the state started salting roads in 1980, over 7 million tons of salt has been spread on Adirondack roadways. That’s enough to fill train cars stretching from where he went to graduate school in Blacksburg, Virginia to Paul Smith’s College — over 750 miles.

“That’s a big train,” Kelting said. “That’s an astronomical amount of material.”

A 2019 study by the Adirondack Watershed Institute found that of 500 Adirondacks wells tested, 64% of those downhill from state roads were found to have sodium levels exceeding the federally recommended health limit.

Wells near local government roads, where less salt is used, showed less contamination, and wells far away from salted roads showed none.

“Road salt has caused irrevocable damage to our environment and waterways, contaminating drinking water supply for homeowners for far too long,” Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, said in a statement. “Contaminated drinking water due to road salt has been an issue for homeowners across the North Country and Adirondack region for far too long and this task force will finally be able to address this issue.”

Why the hold up?

The bill has stalled several times in its path.

The bill was sponsored by North Country state legislators, including retired state Sen. Betty Little, Jones, and state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, who was an Assemblyman at the time. It found bipartisan support in the state Legislature.

After the state Legislature passed the bill in July 2020, it sat for months on Cuomo’s desk until he finally signed it in December 2020, after requests from government leaders and green groups.

No one had been appointed by the time Cuomo resigned in August amid a slew of sexual harassment and corruption allegations. Then, Gov. Kathy Hochul took his seat, but appointing members of this task force was not at the top of her priority list.

Still, Kelting said Hochul appointed members to the task force pretty fast, and he’s glad she’s taking it seriously.

The bill is named after the late Wilmington town Supervisor Randy Preston, a political independent who died after a battle with cancer in July 2019. Preston was known for years as a strong advocate for limiting excess road salt use. He was the co-chair of the Adirondack Road Salt Working Group.

Michelle Preston, Randy’s widow, said he would be “so honored and so humbled” to see the group celebrating the bill he fought for. She said he never stopped working hard at it, even while battling a brain tumor.

She said he loved the Adirondacks fiercely.

“We traveled all around the world,” she said. “Everywhere that man would go, he would pull out his phone to show people, ‘This is where you need to go. This is the most beautiful place on earth.'”

Salt solutions

One of the solutions Kelting is interested in are lowering speed limits in certain areas during winter months. The higher the speed limit, the more salt is needed, he said. With a lower speed limit, he said departments can focus on sanding and plowing while still keeping roads safe.

When he drove home from Paul Smith’s College on Sunday after a heavy weekend snowfall, Kelting said he was traveling at around 55 miles per hour.

“Should I expect to be able to do that?” he asked.

He proposed that with public education and less salt, people can know winter brings less clean roads and to keep wells and waterways clean, they’ll have to drive a bit slower.

He also said with federal infrastructure money coming to the state, the task force will also look at new paving and plow blade technologies.

The task force will also be looking at the results of ongoing road salt reduction pilot programs on state Route 86 in Lake Placid and state Route 9 in Lake George.

Who’s on the task force?

The 14-member task force is be made up of people from environmental groups, the state Department of Transportation, local government, health departments, highway department and scientists.

A Thursday press release from the governor’s office identified 10 of the task force members, which include former state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens; Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board Executive Director Gerald Delaney; Adirondack Council Vice President for Conservation Megan Phillips; ADKAction Executive Director Brittany Christenson; Kristine Stepeneck, a member of the International Joint Commission — the U.S. and Canada’s watershed quality organization; Philip Sexton, the founder and managing director of WIT Companies, a sustainable winter management company; Robert Kafin, who chairs the Council on the Environment of New York City; Warren County Public Works Superintendent Kevin Hajos and Hamilton County Superintendent of Highways Tracy Eldridge.

The task force will be chaired by the DEC and DOT.

“I have no doubt that this group of individuals will work tirelessly to protect our state from the adverse effects of road salt,” Hochul said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing this group finally convene and make progress in preventing further pollution to our waterways and our environment.”

Kelting said he’s excited to work with this group. He’s worked with some members extensively before, and some will be new for him.

6 common snow removal mistakes homeowners make (yahoo.com)

Snow removal isn’t anyone’s idea of winter fun, but it’s a necessary part of living in the Great White North. 

We’ve all experienced the hardships of letting heavy snowfall pile up on our driveways and walkways. Not only is it harder to shovel when you’re swimming in 10 inches of snow, the repercussions of not planning ahead for messy winter weather can be a real pain—literally.

That said, with a little strategy and proper preparation — plus the right tools — you’ll be able to tackle winter weather this season without incident or accident. Here are six common mistakes homeowners make when it comes to winter snow removal, along with our tips for how to avoid them, so you can spend more time enjoying the winter weather this season and less time cleaning it up.

1. Forgetting to prep your lawn ahead of time

You’d be surprised how many homeowners don’t think about winterizing their lawn until after the first snow hits. Plan ahead in late fall or early winter however, and it’ll make your life that much easier come spring.

Your first order of business? Cutting your grass to about an inch and a half and clearing out any debris, moss or weeds. The next step is to aerate your lawn using a tool like the Yardworks 4-Tine Cultivator. Then, before your lawn goes into its annual deep freeze, apply a winter-appropriate fertilizer like Scotts Turf Builder Fall Lawn Food, which is specially formulated for winter to give your lawn a jumpstart heading into spring.

2. Using incorrect equipment

Once the snow starts falling, be ready by having the right tools on hand. Depending on the size of your driveway and how much snow you get, you’ll need to assess whether a shovel is sufficient or if you’ll require a snowblower to properly tackle it.

If a shovel is your tool of choice, opt for one that will make the job easier on your back. The Yardworks Sleigh Snow Shovel with Wear Strip is a great option for heavy snowfall. This sleigh-style shovel features a wide blade to remove large amounts of snow in a single push, while the ergonomic handle encourages proper posture.

If you plan on buying a new snowblower this season, make sure to do your research first to determine the best fit for your needs and space. The Troy-Bilt 243cc 2-Stage Gas Snowblower is a tried-and-true best-seller thanks to a winterized engine that runs cleaner (and quieter) than other gas snowblowers. It also features heated grips for added comfort during those extra-cold days. The Yardworks 15A Electric Snowblower is another good option for those with medium to large-sized driveways, plus it comes with dual LED headlights to help light the way in low visibility conditions.

3. Using improper form when shovelling

Much like exercising, you can seriously hurt yourself if you don’t use proper form when you shovel. The most important tip to keep in mind is to bend your knees as you shovel and lift with your legs rather than your back. Then hold the handle close to the blade and your body to reduce strain on your lower back. Opting for a lightweight shovel designed with ergonomics in mind, like this Yardworks Ergonomic Snow Shovel, is always a wise idea as well.

Most importantly, don’t overwork yourself and remember to take breaks to warm up. Your body will thank you for it.

4. Neglecting rooftops and gutters

Excessive heavy snow can be incredibly stressful on your roof. It’s also an easy area to forget about when removing snow from your property. The most common cause of damage? Ice dams which can cause leaks and further harm to your gutters and shingles. In severe cases, your roof can even collapse.

While it’s never advisable to climb onto your roof, especially when there’s ice and snow afoot, you can do a fair bit with your feet firmly planted on the ground. A roof rake like this Yardworks 16-ft Telescopic Roof Rake allows you to clear snow from your roof without putting yourself at risk of falling. For anything more involved though, call in a professional.

5. Not thinking strategically

As you clear your driveway, you may be unintentionally creating a hazard for your neighbours or passersby, so always remember to be mindful of where you’re shovelling snow. Another no-no is shovelling your driveway from top to bottom, since the weight of that much snow can make it difficult to maneuver. To help minimize the amount of effort required, start at the centre and push smaller amounts of snow to either side of your driveway instead.

Finally, never let piles of snow accumulate and turn into ice. The longer you wait, the harder that dense packed snow will be to remove. Instead, make sure to shovel every few hours during heavy snowfall in order to make the job more manageable—not to mention less stressful on your back and equipment.

6. Overdoing it with ice melt

If you want to stay on top of snow removal, keep an eye on the weather and apply ice melt before any snow has hit the ground. This preventative measure is your secret weapon to keeping black ice at bay.

That said, when deciding to use ice melt or salt, keep your plants and pets in mind. Salt can be damaging to your trees and other landscaping and can even harm wildlife if you’re not careful. That’s why it’s advisable to consider green options when possible. We recommend Alaskan Premium Ice Melt Jug, a high visibility ice melt that’s gentle on grass and concrete. Another good option is Yardworks Envirosafe Ice Melter, a fast-acting de-icer that’s less harmful to vegetation and pets. Just always remember to follow package instructions, as over-application can also cause problems.

Gherkin water instead of road salt to defrost roads (hortidaily.com)

Here's an interesting story form Dingolfing, Germany, where pickles are made and used to clean the roads. Or at least, the water from the gherkin facility. 

Approximately 17,000 tons of cucumbers are processed annually at the Develey plant, and after the produce is stored in saltwater, the latter is left behind. Previously, the saltwater was disposed of through the wastewater treatment plant, but for the second year in a row, the community is now using the brine to make the roads passable again.

The brine works as well as road salt, while still being sustainable. Using cucumber water can save about 1000 tons of road salt and more than 4.9 million liters of water annually. "There is no difference to conventional brine. But it is more sustainable: using cucumber water can save about 1,000 tons of road salt and more than 4.9 million liters of water each year. Recycling at its finest and a win-win situation for everyone - especially for the environment, as less salt is released into the environment overall," the team with Develey says. 

It does make you wonder, how exactly does cucumber water become road salt? After processing the cucumbers, a brine remains, which is filtered to remove any suspended particles and then it is processed. In order to achieve an optimal thawing effect, the salt content of the cucumber water must be increased from approximately 7% to 21% by adding some salt.

After the cucumbers are processed, a brine remains. This is filtered to remove suspended particles and then processed. In order to achieve an optimal thawing effect, the salt content of the cucumber water must be concentrated by adding salt from about 7% to 21%. "This is the only hurdle that had to be overcome for the salt brine to be ready for use," the Develey team adds. "Now nothing stands in the way of using cucumber water as road salt for winter road maintenance." 

"Admittedly, cucumber water is certainly not the solution to all environmental problems, but it is a step in the right direction and makes winter road maintenance more sustainable." 

Research reveals critical need to reduce use of road salt in winter, suggests best practices | Mirage News

Across the U.S. road crews dump around 25 million metric tons of sodium chloride — much like table salt — to unfreeze roads each year and make them safe for travel.

Usage varies by state, but the amount of salt applied to icy roads annually in some regions can vary between approximately 3 and 18 pounds of salt per square meter, which is only about the size of a small kitchen table.

As the use of deicing salts has tripled over the past 45 years, salt concentrations are increasing dramatically in streams, rivers, lakes and other sources of freshwater.

Overuse of road salts to melt away snow and ice is threatening human health and the environment as they wash into drinking water sources, and new research from The University of Toledo spotlights the urgent need for policy makers and environmental managers to adopt a variety of solutions.

The study titled “Road Salts, Human Safety and the Rising Salinity of Our Fresh Waters” is published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment and presents how road salts hurt ecology, contaminate drinking water supplies and mobilize harmful chemicals, such as radon, mercury and lead, and then lays out suggested best management practices.

“The magnitude of the road salt contamination issue is substantial and requires immediate attention,” said Dr. Bill Hintz, assistant professor of ecology at UToledo and lead author of the research based out of the UToledo Lake Erie Center. “Given that road deicers reduce car accidents by more than 78%, we worked to strike a careful balance between human safety and mitigating the negative environmental and health impacts triggered by dumping salt on our streets and highways to keep people safe and traffic moving.”

In one major example, the researchers say overuse of road salts likely contributed to higher levels of corrosive chloride in the water supply in Flint, Mich., in 2014, leading to the release of lead from water distribution pipes.

Another example shows that high concentrations of deicing salt typically occur in private wells located near roads in lower elevations or downhill from highways.

The most common deicers are the inorganic salts sodium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, all used both in solid and liquid or brine form.

The study examines how current federal safety limits for salt concentrations established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1988 to protect fish, plants and other aquatic life in freshwater ecosystems are commonly surpassed.

Particularly alarming is the number of salinized streams. The research highlights recent studies that show urban streams with salt concentrations that are more than 20 to 30 times higher than the EPA chronic chloride threshold of 230 milligrams per liter.

“Current EPA thresholds are clearly not enough,” Hintz said. “The impacts of deicing salts can be sublethal or lethal at current thresholds and recent research suggests that negative effects can occur at levels far below these thresholds.”

The research suggests several solutions, including:

• Proper storage facilities — covered structures with a concrete base;
• Anti-icing, the application of liquids such as salt brines to road surfaces prior to winter storm events, which prevents ice from bonding to surfaces and aids removal operations;
• Live-edge snowplows composed of multiple smaller plows on springs, which better conform to road surfaces compared to conventional plows with a single fixed edge, to increase the efficiency of snow and ice removal and reduce the need for deicing salt; and
• Post-storm performance assessments to determine whether the treatment used was appropriate for the weather system and if it should be modified in the future.

“Given the lack of ecologically friendly and cost-effective alternatives, broad-scale adoption of best management practices is necessary to curb the increasing salinization of freshwater ecosystems resulting from the use of deicing salts,” Hintz said.

Hintz collaborated with scientists from Montana State University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on the study.

This material from the originating organization/author(s) may be of a point-in-time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s).View in full here.

City of Delta preparing for snow, ice - Delta Optimist (delta-optimist.com)

There’s going to be plenty of road salt available should Delta get hit with heavy snowfall this winter.

That’s according to an engineering department report to council on this year’s snow and ice control/flood preparedness, which notes the works yard in Ladner is fully stocked with 1,000 metric tonnes of salt. 

The North Delta works yard is also stocked to full capacity with 1,500 metric tonnes of salt.

The report notes that the finance department has also secured a contract with Mainroad Contracting that guarantees up to an additional 3,000 metric tonnes of road salt for this season.

“This should be sufficient, as historically, Delta has used up to 4,500 metric tonnes of road  salt during extreme winters,  but uses between 2,500 and  3,000 metric tonnes in an average winter,” the report notes.

In addition to road salt, engineering operations continues to make its own salt brine. 

Salt brine is used to pre-wet the priority routes in anticipation of snow or ice events. 

The city has two specialized brine trucks that can be used to apply the salt solution, while all snow and ice equipment has been inspected and serviced for the upcoming season. 

Operations staff, meanwhile, have been refreshed on snow and ice control procedures and have been trained on operating snow clearing equipment, the report adds. 

Steps have also been taken to ensure staff coverage during the holiday season. 

Staff have implemented a night shift truck driver seven days a week to reduce response time for snow and ice control from Dec. 1, 2021 to March 2022. 

When not salting or brining, the night driver will provide routine inspections on major roads and overpasses while performing other duties.

The "Winter Road Conditions" phone line (604-952-3820) will be available to provide a voice message, updated every four hours during a snow-fighting event, with the current weather situation and Delta’s response levels.

Weather predictions for this coming season suggest this region may experience cool winter temperatures (La Nina) again, similar to what was experienced last season.

UK gritter and road salt shortage could make roads icy death traps as temperatures fall - Mirror Online

The UK is facing a shortage of gritters and road salt, which could make roads dangerous as temperatures are set to plunge around the country.

While forecasters have warned Brits to prepare for freezing weather conditions in the coming weeks, there are fears that there are not enough employees to remove snow from the street and keep motorists safe.

The issue is linked to a wider shortage of HGV drivers, which has seen vacancies jump by nearly a third across the UK compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Highways chiefs are warning that a lack of staff to spread salt on the roads could cause traffic chaos this winter.

Officials also said that there is less grit in stock than in recent winters, with transport bosses in Scotland saying there are 30,000 fewer tonnes of salt in stock than last year.

The Local Government Association said the driver shortage could mean gritting runs are axed, the Daily Star reports.

Spokesman Cllr David Renard said: "Some councils may find gritting services are affected in the same way as some waste collection services have been impacted."

Meanwhile, authorities in Hampshire said they are "training new drivers to ensure we can maintain our winter service when demand peaks."

Wrexham Council said it was "monitoring the situation very closely".

It comes as forecasters warned the UK can expect sub-zero temperatures from tomorrow, with lows of -12C likely by the end of November.

Forecasters at MetDesk said: "A big change is shown for next week, with Arctic winds, plummeting temperatures and snow for some."

The Met Office warned of heavy snowfall in the north of the UK on Monday, with the cold blast predicted to reach the south by Wednesday night.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: "I couldn't imagine a better weather pattern for cold weather fans, with forecast models showing a northerly straight from the Arctic next week."

Workers at salt mine in Pugwash go on strike | CBC News

Company Windsor Salt says it has contingency plan to ensure de-icing salt available this winter

The workers at a salt mine in Pugwash, N.S., are on strike, with 90 employees walking off the job on Friday.

The workforce has been without a contract since October 2020. The president of Unifor Local 823 said members are concerned with contract changes that would affect job security. Fifty other workers have already been laid off.

"We wanted a deal, we had four things we asked for in exchange for certain things," said Mark Shaffer. "They just flat out said no and so I feel we were pushed into a corner."

The mine is operated by Windsor Salt, which is headquartered in Pointe-Claire, Que., and produces salt used in everything from road de-icing to food.

There has been a hostile work environment at the Pugwash salt mine for the past 10 years, according to Shaffer. 

Winter coming

In a statement, Windsor Salt company officials said they were "disappointed" an agreement had not been reached. It also said its latest offer is "fair to the employees and fair to the business," and includes wage increases, a signing bonus and improved benefits.

There was an unsuccessful round of conciliation in July.

Over the summer the company stockpiled road salt in both Halifax and Summerside, P.E.I. Windsor Salt said in its statement it has "a contingency plan to ensure the region has de-icing salt throughout the winter."

Shaffer said if salt is removed from the stockpiles, picket lines will be set up at both the Halifax and Summerside locations.

The Pugwash operation was bought by an American-based corporation, Stone Canyon, in April.

Michigan expands testing of salt water to clear winter highways (michiganradio.org)

Parts of Michigan have already seen snow. The Michigan Department of Transportation is gearing up for more.

One thing the agency will be doing is using a 23% saline solution, salt water instead of rock salt, on more roads. Last year, a pilot project in Montcalm County went well.

“We found out he could potentially save up to 40% salt and, you know, get the road cleared just as well as you would have and maybe sometimes even slightly better than with putting down rock salt,” said Mark Geib, administrator for the department’s Transportation Systems Management and Operations Division.

Since the state budgets about $25 million for road salt each winter, that could save a lot of money.

“We use about 450,000 tons of salt for a winter. So if we could cut that number down by 40%, that's that much less salt going into the environment,” Geib said.

Less salt running off the roads and into streams, lakes, and wetlands would be better for plants, fish, and other wildlife.

This winter, liquid salt will be used on stretches of M-43 near Grand Ledge, M-66 in Montcalm County, and M-20 near Mount Pleasant.

The department is working to find the right methods and the right equipment to eventually use liquid salt on all the highways.

When should you switch to winter tires? Provincial breakdown, here (msn.com)

Like it or not, most Canadians will soon need to make the switch to winter tires for their vehicles. Some provinces do have laws in place, dictating the deadline for making the swap, but Mother Nature provides her own clues for when to schedule that appointment with your garage.

By design, winter tires are engineered to enhance your car's handling, traction, and braking performance when the temperature is below 7ºC. While short bouts of cooler weather do battle with lingering summer-like temperatures through the early fall across most of the country, there does come a day when the average high dips below 7, and stays there until spring.

Meteorologist André Monette of MétéoMédia, The Weather Network's Québec-based sister station, breaks down those dates for us, region by region.

While the temperatures don't drop to 7ºC until much later, winter or all-season tires are required by law on many routes in B.C. starting on October 1.

Québec is the other province that mandates winter tires for drivers. They're required between December 1 and March 15.

While no government in Atlantic Canada requires the use of winter tires, a 2018 study did suggest drivers there are among the most prepared to meet winter driving conditions. According to the report, 94 per cent of drivers there opt for winter tires.

Sources: Tirecraft | The Telegram |

VLAWMO :: Ready for Winter: Free Salt Measuring Cups