Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) announced that the Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act – a bill he authored to help safeguard the North Country’s drinking water and ensure safe passage for motorists – has been signed into law by the Governor (Ch. 313 of 2020). The bill was co-sponsored in the New York State Assembly by Senator Elect Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) and was originally introduced in the New York State Senate by Senator Betty Little (R-Queensbury) and carried by Senator Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo).

“The North Country is prone to harsh winters, which makes the safety of travelers during these months one of our top priorities,” said Jones. “While road salt has been used for decades, we can no longer in good conscience continue to use such an environmentally damaging tool in excess when better solutions exist. Randy Preston had made this his mission as a town supervisor and he, too, knew we must find a way to protect commuters without continuing to pollute our drinking water and causing long-lasting damage to the environment. This legislation is an important first step toward that goal and I am proud to have introduced this legislation in his honor.”

The law creates the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force to ensure the safety of travelers during the winter months while also protecting the environment and preserving clean drinking water for North Country families. Keeping traveling conditions safe is a top priority for the state, but the pollution stemming from extreme use of road salt presents a danger to the environment and public health. This pilot program will aid the state in continuing to craft policies that protect commuters while also recognizing the effect they have on the environment and the public.

“Unlike a lot of the legislation we do in Albany, this new law is based in science.The recommendations of how best to keep our roads safe for winter travel while protecting our precious water will be based on very thoughtful research,” said Senator Betty Little.“Knowing how proud Randy Preston was to serve as a town supervisor and to advocate on behalf of the Adirondacks, I am sure he’d be very pleased with today’s news.Despite all that went on this year, I am grateful we succeeded in getting this bill approved by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Cuomo.Special thanks goes to Dan Kelting and Paul Smiths College for all they invested in the research, helping all of us understand how to begin dealing with this critically important issue.This is going to have lasting impact.”

“Finding a way to reduce the amount of road salt that is applied and ultimately makes its way into our precious waterways without sacrificing the safety of the traveling public is long overdue,” said Assemblyman and Senator Elect Dan Stec. “I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act and I'm pleased that Governor Cuomo signed this legislation into law. I look forward to working with our transportation officials as they collect data moving forward so that we can apply what is learned.”

"We have an obligation to our children and generations to come to preserve New York's great outdoors, and the implementation of the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force and Pilot Program will be a critical part of achieving just that,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “As Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, I was proud to sponsor and pass this legislation in partnership with Assemblymember Jones, and I look forward to working with our partners in the Adirondack State Park community as we explore new ways to further protect our environmental resources."

The Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force is tasked with summarizing available information and recommending best practices for winter road maintenance in the North Country to the Governor and State Legislature. This includes recommendations for updated levels of service and road salt reduction targets to help the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reduce the level of contamination in drinking water.