Lawmakers press DES on salt‑storage rules, grants and training to protect groundwater

A House subcommittee met Jan. 27 to consider HB6007FN, legislation that would require controls on the storage of road salt and other deicing chemicals to reduce chloride contamination of groundwater and surface waters. The prime sponsor said the bill is intended to put storage standards into administrative rules and to preserve local control where appropriate.

David Neils, administrator of the Watershed Bureau at the Department of Environmental Services (DES), told the panel that DES would expect to draft an initial rule set within roughly six months and could complete a state inventory of storage facilities within about a year or run it as a rolling process. Neils said the agency would work with the committee on timing and compliance windows so municipalities and private contractors can budget and plan for upgrades.

Committee members discussed how to balance environmental protection with concerns about unfunded mandates. Several lawmakers suggested pairing the rulemaking with funding: the committee heard that HB1810 — a separate bill proposing a $4 per‑ton surcharge on bulk salt sales — would create a mitigation and grant fund at DES. DES said that fund would be an appropriate source to pay for capital upgrades such as covered storage sheds and other mitigation measures.

Members also debated whether to promote or require Green Pro Snow certification (a voluntary training and best‑practice program administered by DES): private‑sector uptake is already higher than municipal participation, committee members said, and DES noted certification provides limited liability protections but does not, by itself, guarantee implementation of every best practice. Several lawmakers suggested mandatory training for designated municipal staff or certification of commercial applicators either in this bill or as a companion measure.

DES and legislators agreed on practical next steps: DES will provide answers to detailed questions (including the extent of existing inventories, permit applicability for uncovered piles, and training costs) and will work with staff to draft suggested language and compliance timelines. The subcommittee set a target to receive a DES deliverable by Feb. 11 and planned to reconvene after next Tuesday’s Public Works meeting to consider updated language and timelines.

“Establishing a grant program that covers mitigation — for example putting a cover over a salt storage facility — is an intended use of the revenues if HB1810 passes,” David Neils said. The committee did not adopt final statutory language during the session; members debated whether implementation details should sit in rulemaking rather than statute so DES could adapt requirements as science and practice evolve.