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
________________________________________________________________________
9681
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CASHMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee 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
24 right to know about the purchase, storage, and use of road salt by
25 governmental entities and the effects thereof.
26 § 501. Definitions. As used in this article the following terms shall
27 have the following meanings:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08643-05-6
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1 1. "Advisory committee" means the New York road salt reduction advi-
2 sory committee established by section five hundred three of this arti-
3 cle.
4 2. "Council" means the New York salt reduction council established by
5 section five hundred two of this article.
6 3. "Pilot program" means the road salt reduction pilot studies
7 described in the Report.
8 4. "Report" means the two thousand twenty-three report of the task
9 force to the governor and legislature, including its recommendations and
10 background and technical appendix.
11 5. "Task force" means the Adirondack road salt reduction task force
12 established under the Randy Preston road salt reduction act.
13 § 502. New York road salt reduction council. 1. There is hereby estab-
14 lished the New York road salt reduction council. Such council shall
15 consist of a total of fifteen members and shall include:
16 (a) the commissioner;
17 (b) the commissioner of environmental conservation;
18 (c) the commissioner of health;
19 (d) the chairperson of the New York state thruway authority;
20 (e) the commissioner of the New York city department of environmental
21 protection;
22 (f) the presidents of the New York state association of counties, New
23 York association of towns and the New York conference of mayors;
24 (g) three appointees upon recommendation of the senate majority;
25 (h) three appointees upon recommendation of the assembly majority; and
26 (i) the chair of the road salt reduction advisory committee.
27 With the exception of the chair of the road salt reduction advisory
28 committee and any members appointed by the legislature, all other
29 members may appoint a designee to serve on their behalf.
30 2. The commissioner and the commissioner of environmental conservation
31 or their designees shall serve as joint chairs of the council.
32 3. The members of the council shall include individuals with expertise
33 in the science of road salt contamination and the best practices of road
34 management. Council members shall receive no compensation for their
35 services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses
36 incurred in the performance of their duties, to the extent funds are
37 appropriated for such purpose. Each member of the council shall be enti-
38 tled to one vote. Any approvals or adoptions of recommendations by the
39 council shall require a supermajority of its members. No action may be
40 taken by the council unless there is a quorum, which shall be a majority
41 of the members of the council. Any vacancies on the council shall be
42 filled in the manner provided for the initial appointment. The council
43 shall meet at least quarterly.
44 4. The council shall, without limitation:
45 (a) From time to time assess the nature, scope and magnitude of the
46 environmental, ecological, agricultural, economic, recreational, and
47 social impacts caused by the use of road salt in the state;
48 (b) By January first, two thousand twenty-nine, recommend quantifiable
49 limits in regulation for road salt use that are protective of water
50 quality standards and drinking water maximum contaminant levels, while
51 preserving acceptable levels of service for the driving public;
52 (c) By January first, two thousand twenty-eight, recommend incentives
53 for state and local adoption of best management practices for minimum
54 salt use during winter road maintenance;
55 (d) Recommend regulations for the establishment of scientifically
56 defensible drinking water maximum contaminant levels and water quality
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1 standards that protect freshwater ecology and public health, to be
2 adopted by the department of environmental conservation and department
3 of health, respectively;
4 (e) Recommend legislation or regulations for state agencies to under-
5 take to comply with quantifiable limits for road salt use as proposed
6 under paragraph (b) of this subdivision;
7 (f) Recommend budget allocations and/or legislation necessary to
8 reduce road salt use while maintaining acceptable levels of service for
9 the driving public;
10 (g) From time to time make a record of actions and publish said record
11 in the environmental notice bulletin, to be taken by members of the
12 council, state and local governments, and the public to implement the
13 recommendations of the council in the report;
14 (h) Monitor the progress of the Adirondack road salt reduction pilot
15 programs, determine what follow up steps are in the public interest to
16 implement recommendations statewide, and recommend additional pilot
17 programs in other regions of the state; and
18 (i) Regularly share data, including that provided by the advisory
19 committee, among members of the council, state and local governments,
20 the advisory committee, and the public to inform decision-making, reduce
21 inconsistent and redundant actions, and identify problems requiring
22 coordinated actions.
23 5. The council shall prepare an annual report describing its activ-
24 ities during the preceding twelve months. Such report shall be submitted
25 to the governor and legislature and made available to the public,
26 through the environmental notice bulletin.
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 expertise in public health and environmental impacts of road
31 salt use, expertise in data collection and analysis of water quality
32 standards or drinking water maximum contaminant levels, or technical
33 proficiency in safely reducing overall road salt use. Such advisory
34 committee shall have up to twenty-five members, with up to seven members
35 selected by the commissioner and commissioners of environmental conser-
36 vation and health, up to six members selected by the senate majority, up
37 to six members selected by the assembly majority, up to three members
38 selected by the senate minority and up to three members selected by the
39 assembly minority, with at least one member from each of the following:
40 (a) Adirondack watershed institute at Paul Smith's college;
41 (b) College of agriculture and life sciences of Cornell university;
42 (c) Riverkeeper;
43 (d) Lake George association;
44 (e) any New York based branch of the American Automobile Association;
45 (f) Snow and ice management association;
46 (g) the New York section of the American water works association;
47 (h) the New York state drinking water quality council;
48 (i) Cary institute;
49 (j) New York state federation of lake associations; and
50 (k) Adirondack council.
51 2. Promptly upon the selection of at least twelve members to the advi-
52 sory committee, the commissioner and the commissioner of environmental
53 conservation shall convene a meeting of the advisory committee at which
54 the advisory committee by majority vote of those present shall select a
55 chair from among the members to preside over the meeting and future
56 meetings. Thereafter, meetings may be held as shall be determined by the
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1 chair or upon the written request of at least five members. Any member
2 can attend advisory committee meetings in person or by means of communi-
3 cations equipment allowing all persons participating to hear each other
4 at the same time. A majority of the selected and then serving members
5 shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at advisory
6 committee meetings.
7 3. The advisory committee shall provide information, advice, and guid-
8 ance to the council concerning the use, management, and effects of road
9 salt on public highways including, but not limited to, implementing the
10 recommendations of the council, conducting the pilot program, new rele-
11 vant scientific data and findings, changes in snow and ice management
12 technologies, and factors relating to the appropriate balance between
13 maintaining safe roads and otherwise protecting clean drinking water and
14 other natural resources from contamination.
15 4. The members of the advisory committee shall serve without compen-
16 sation, except members shall be allowed their necessary and actual
17 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this section.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
