Establishes the New York road salt reduction council and the New York road salt reduction advisory committee to provide a mechanism for interagency cooperation and coordination to implement the recommendations of the report of the Adirondack road salt reduction task force.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4481
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JONES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to establishing the
New York road salt reduction council and the New York road salt
reduction advisory committee
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The transportation law is amended by adding a new article
2 23 to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 23
4 NEW YORK ROAD SALT REDUCTION PROGRAM
5 Section 500. Legislative findings.
6 501. Definitions.
7 502. New York road salt reduction council.
8 503. New York road salt reduction advisory committee.
9 § 500. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the report of
10 the Adirondack road salt reduction task force complies with the Randy
11 Preston road salt reduction act, and that its recommendations should be
12 implemented to protect public health and the environment from contam-
13 ination by road salt. The legislature further finds that effective
14 implementation requires interagency cooperation and coordination, atten-
15 tion extending beyond the boundaries of the Adirondack park. A mechanism
16 for such does not currently exist but should be created. The legislature
17 further recognizes that both state and local agencies need the expertise
18 and experience of scientists, engineers, nongovernmental institutions
19 advocating for clean water, highway users, and others in developing
20 solutions to the problems posed by the need to control ice and snow for
21 the safety of the traveling public without contaminating drinking water
22 and impairing natural resources supporting life, a sound economy, and
23 healthful recreation. The legislature also finds that the public has a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08643-01-5
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1 right to know about the purchase, storage, and use of road salt by
2 governmental entities and the effects thereof.
3 § 501. Definitions. As used in this article the following terms shall
4 have the following meanings:
5 1. "Advisory committee" means the New York road salt reduction advi-
6 sory committee established by section five hundred three of this arti-
7 cle.
8 2. "Council" means the New York salt reduction council established by
9 section five hundred two of this article.
10 3. "Pilot program" means the road salt reduction pilot studies
11 described in the Report.
12 4. "Report" means the two thousand twenty-three report of the task
13 force to the governor and legislature, including its recommendations and
14 background and technical appendix.
15 5. "Task force" means the Adirondack road salt reduction task force
16 established under the Randy Preston road salt reduction act.
17 § 502. New York road salt reduction council. 1. There is hereby estab-
18 lished the New York road salt reduction council. Such council shall
19 consist of a total of fifteen members and shall include:
20 (a) the commissioner;
21 (b) the commissioner of environmental conservation;
22 (c) the commissioner of health;
23 (d) the chairperson of the New York state thruway authority;
24 (e) the commissioner of the New York city department of environmental
25 protection;
26 (f) the presidents of the New York state association of counties, New
27 York association of towns and the New York conference of mayors;
28 (g) three appointees upon recommendation of the senate majority;
29 (h) three appointees upon recommendation of the assembly majority; and
30 (i) the chair of the road salt reduction advisory committee.
31 With the exception of the chair of the road salt reduction advisory
32 committee and any members appointed by the legislature, all other
33 members may appoint a designee to serve on their behalf.
34 2. The commissioner and the commissioner of environmental conservation
35 or their designees shall serve as joint chairs of the council.
36 3. The members of the council shall include individuals with expertise
37 in the science of road salt contamination and the best practices of road
38 management. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their
39 services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses
40 incurred in the performance of their duties, to the extent funds are
41 appropriated for such purpose. Each member of the council shall be enti-
42 tled to one vote. Any approvals or adoptions of recommendations by the
43 council shall require a supermajority of its members. No action may be
44 taken by the council unless there is a quorum, which shall be a majority
45 of the members of the council. Any vacancies on the council shall be
46 filled in the manner provided for the initial appointment. The council
47 shall meet at least quarterly.
48 4. The council shall, without limitation:
49 (a) From time to time assess the nature, scope and magnitude of the
50 environmental, ecological, agricultural, economic, recreational, and
51 social impacts caused by the use of road salt in the state;
52 (b) By two thousand twenty-eight, recommend quantifiable limits in
53 regulation for road salt use that are protective of water quality stand-
54 ards and drinking water maximum contaminant levels, while preserving
55 acceptable levels of service for the driving public;
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1 (c) Recommend incentives for the local adoption of best management
2 practices for minimum salt use during winter road maintenance;
3 (d) Recommend scientifically defensible drinking water maximum contam-
4 inant levels and water quality standards that protect freshwater ecology
5 and public health, to be adopted by the department of environmental
6 conservation and department of health, respectively;
7 (e) Recommend actions for state agencies to undertake to comply with
8 quantifiable limits for road salt use as proposed under paragraph (b) of
9 this subdivision;
10 (f) Recommend budget allocations and/or legislation necessary to
11 reduce road salt use while maintaining acceptable levels of service for
12 the driving public;
13 (g) From time to time make a record of actions taken by members of the
14 council, state and local governments, and the public to implement the
15 recommendations of the task force in the report;
16 (h) Monitor the progress of the Adirondack road salt reduction pilot
17 programs and determine what follow up steps are in the public interest
18 to implement recommendations statewide; and
19 (i) Regularly share data, including that provided by the advisory
20 committee, among members of the council, state and local governments,
21 the advisory committee, and the public to inform decision-making, reduce
22 inconsistent and redundant actions, and identify problems requiring
23 coordinated actions.
24 5. The council shall prepare an annual report describing its activ-
25 ities during the preceding twelve months. Such report shall be submitted
26 to the governor and legislature and made available to the public.
27 § 503. New York road salt reduction advisory committee. 1. There is
28 hereby established the New York road salt reduction advisory committee
29 that is comprised of individuals representing nongovernmental organiza-
30 tions with knowledge about the public health, environmental and road
31 safety implications of road salt use. Such advisory committee shall have
32 up to twenty-five members, with up to seven members selected by the
33 commissioner and commissioners of environmental conservation and health,
34 up to six members selected by the senate majority, up to six members
35 selected by the assembly majority, up to three members selected by the
36 senate minority and up to three members selected by the assembly minori-
37 ty, with at least one member from each of the following:
38 (a) Adirondack watershed institute at Paul Smith's college;
39 (b) College of agriculture and life sciences of Cornell university;
40 (c) Hudson riverkeeper;
41 (d) Lake George association;
42 (e) any New York based branch of the American Automobile Association;
43 (f) Snow and ice management association;
44 (g) the New York section of the American water works association;
45 (h) the New York state drinking water quality council;
46 (i) Cary institute; and
47 (j) New York state federation of lake associations.
48 2. Promptly upon the selection of at least twelve members to the advi-
49 sory committee, the commissioner and the commissioner of environmental
50 conservation shall convene a meeting of the advisory committee at which
51 the advisory committee by majority vote of those present shall select a
52 chair from among the members to preside over the meeting and future
53 meetings. Thereafter, meetings may be held as shall be determined by the
54 chair or upon the written request of at least five members. Any member
55 can attend advisory committee meetings in person or by means of communi-
56 cations equipment allowing all persons participating to hear each other
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1 at the same time. A majority of the selected and then serving members
2 shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at advisory
3 committee meetings.
4 3. The advisory committee shall provide information, advice, and guid-
5 ance to the council concerning the use, management, and effects of road
6 salt on public highways including, but not limited to, implementing the
7 recommendations of the task force, conducting the pilot program, new
8 relevant scientific data and findings, changes in snow and ice manage-
9 ment technologies, and factors relating to the appropriate balance
10 between maintaining safe roads and otherwise protecting clean drinking
11 water and other natural resources from contamination.
12 4. The members of the advisory committee shall serve without compen-
13 sation, except members shall be allowed their necessary and actual
14 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this section.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
