Requires the commissioner of the department of transportation, in consultation with the commissioner of the department of environmental conservation to create a road salt applicator training program, which shall include, but not be limited to training materials regarding the environmental and human health impacts of road salt and a plan of action for the reduction or elimination of sodium chloride pollution in environmentally sensitive areas.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5010
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 18, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to creating a road
salt applicator training program
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 section
2 23 to read as follows:
3 § 23. Road salt applicator training program. 1. (a) The commissioner,
4 in consultation with the commissioner of the department of environmental
5 conservation, shall create a road salt applicator training program that
6 shall include, but not be limited to:
7 (i) Training materials regarding the environmental and human health
8 impacts of road salt;
9 (ii) Best practices for the application of sodium chloride to roads,
10 parking lots, and sidewalks;
11 (iii) Use of state of the art equipment for snow and ice removal;
12 (iv) Use of monitoring technologies for annual reporting of road salt
13 use by location;
14 (v) A plan of action for the reduction or elimination of sodium chlo-
15 ride pollution in environmentally sensitive areas;
16 (vi) A verification process for assuring best practices are being
17 implemented and will continue to be implemented;
18 (vii) The use of road salt alternatives; and
19 (viii) A process for certification of trained and approved applica-
20 tors, including particular locations for such training program, and a
21 time period within which to complete continuing training requirements.
22 (b) In creating the road salt applicator training program, the commis-
23 sioner shall use best efforts to consult with current programs and
24 research being conducted in the state such as those undertaken by the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09748-01-5
S. 5010 2
1 Fund for Lake George, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and
2 Cornell University.
3 2. The commissioner shall prepare and submit to the the governor, the
4 temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the
5 chair of the senate committee on transportation, and the chair of the
6 assembly committee on transportation, on or before December first, two
7 thousand twenty-six, a report containing the road salt applicator
8 program findings and recommendations that include, but are not limited
9 to:
10 (a) Recommendations for conducting the training program by agency
11 staff or a private contractor;
12 (b) Findings regarding the appropriateness of limited liability relief
13 for certified applicators;
14 (c) Recommendations regarding funding options or assistance to locali-
15 ties for purchase of state of the art equipment;
16 (d) Findings, using existing data and information, regarding locations
17 in the state where road salt contamination may be a threat to the envi-
18 ronment, property or human health;
19 (e) Findings regarding the use of similar programs in other states,
20 such as Rhode Island and Minnesota;
21 (f) Recommendations regarding a timeline for implementation of the
22 road salt applicator training program; and
23 (g) Findings regarding costs associated with conducting such program.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
