Senators review voluntary program to limit road salt, require covered storage and offer limited liability

On Feb. 18 the Senate Transportation committee heard from Sen. Anne Watson, chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, on a proposal (referred to in testimony as X29) to reduce chloride pollution from road- and property‑deicing. The bill would create a voluntary training, certification and record‑keeping program for municipal and commercial salt applicators and set deadlines for covering salt storage facilities.

Supporters said rising chloride levels in lakes and streams are harming aquatic life and that a program modeled on New Hampshire’s would reduce unnecessary salting while protecting certified applicators and property owners from most slip‑and‑fall suits. "We call it a salt bill," Sen. Anne Watson said while introducing the measure and described the program as a way to teach "best practices for salt application" and to build a baseline for state salt imports and applications.

The bill, as explained to the committee, would direct the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to establish a "chloride contamination reduction program" that would: develop best management practices (BMPs); offer certification (including a "master" applicator train‑the‑trainer option); require record keeping of applications, weather and equipment; estimate statewide salt imports and application baselines for 2015–2025; and report annually to the Legislature. ANR may run the program in‑house, contract with a third party, or use a hybrid approach. ANR is to consult with the Agency of Transportation (AOT) and with programs in other states.

The bill excludes state employees/AOT salt application from the voluntary…