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By Community News Reports - May 31, 2025
New legislation would establish New York State Road Salt Reduction Council and Citizen Advisory Committee to protect water, health, and communities
A coalition of environmental, municipal, and public health advocates is calling for swift passage of legislation (A.4481-A/S.6976-A) to establish a New York State Road Salt Reduction Council and Citizen Advisory Committee. This body would be tasked with implementing the recommendations published by the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force in 2023. The Senate passed a version of this bill in 2024, and is poised to pass the bill once again.
Supporters urged the Assembly to act before the end of the session, citing new findings from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, that indicates that a portion of the New York City water supply will be rendered undrinkable by the turn of the century, if dramatic salt reduction measures aren’t advanced across the state.
Sponsored by Assemblymember Billy Jones and Senator Pete Harckham, the legislation is designed to provide the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) with the expertise and structure needed to guide NYSDOT in adopting science-based winter road maintenance practices that maintain public safety while safeguarding water quality.
“The Adirondack region has taken meaningful steps toward safer, smarter road salt use,” said Sawyer Bailey, Executive Director of AdkAction. “Now it’s time for the state to do the same. This legislation creates the collaboration and accountability needed to turn proven solutions into statewide practice. We appreciate Assemblymember Jones’ and Harckham’s leadership” AdkAction joins the Adirondack Council, Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute, Lake George Association, Ausable Freshwater Center, and a growing contingent of voices across the state calling for change.
“The science is clear,” said Kelley Tucker, Executive Director of Ausable Freshwater Center. “In the Adirondacks and statewide, reducing the use of road salt improves the quality of our essential freshwater systems.”
Despite maintaining just 27% of Adirondack roads, NYSDOT is responsible for 84% of the chloride variation in the region’s lakes, according to the Adirondack Watershed Institute. Groundwater is also at risk: two-thirds of wells located downhill from state roads have been found to exceed EPA guidelines for sodium or chloride. The consequences affect both human health and the environment, especially in rural communities where most residents rely on private wells.
“Our research at Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute demonstrates that road salt application directly contributes to rising chloride levels in Adirondack groundwater,” said Dr. Dan Kelting, President of Paul Smith’s College and scientific lead for the regional investigation into salt contamination. “This legislation builds on the important work of the Road Salt Reduction Task Force and offers a critical path forward—bringing stakeholders together to protect drinking water while keeping our winter roads safe.”
Local governments in the Adirondacks have already joined AdkAction’s Clean Water Safe Roads Partnership, committing to reduce road salt while preserving winter road safety. These efforts have not only protected natural resources but have also resulted in significant cost savings for small towns and villages.
“Lake George is living proof that we can reduce road salt, protect our waters, and still keep roads safe for winter travel,” said Brendan Wiltse, Executive Director of Lake George Association. “It’s time for New York State to turn proven regional success into statewide policy.”
The proposed Road Salt Reduction Council would advance this work by helping establish measurable salt use limits and developing science-based standards to be adopted by the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health. A Citizen Advisory Committee would ensure that the local voices most affected by road salt pollution are heard in the process. Together these bodies will empower our highway managers to continue keeping New Yorkers safe on the road, and our water resources sustainable for generations to come.
“Road Salt costs New Yorkers in a variety of troubling ways,” said Kevin Chlad, Deputy Director of the Adirondack Council. “Last year, New York State authorized the purchase of up to $187 million worth of road salt. Excessive road salt use corrodes public infrastructure, and harms public health, representing a hidden tax on New Yorkers. The good news is, in towns that have reduced road salt use, they have had less winter road accidents at the same time. We can save taxpayer dollars, improve driver safety, and protect clean water. It’s a win-win-win. We need the Assembly to pass the NYS Road Salt Reduction Council and Citizen Advisory Committee this year, to implement recommendations that safely reduce road salt use in the Adirondacks and across New York State.”
“New York’s drinking water is under threat from something few consider a contaminant—road salt—and the science is clear. The overuse of road salt is contaminating our wells, polluting our lakes, and threatening public health,” said Cortney Worrall, Executive Director of Adirondack Mountain Club. “The creation of the New York Road Salt Reduction Council is a critical step toward implementing smart, science-based solutions that protect both clean water and road safety.”
Adirondack-area organizations are joined by others across the state in calling for action:
“The evidence is undeniable—excessive road salt use is contaminating drinking water across New York, often at levels that pose health risks for people on low-sodium diets,” said Jeremy Cherson, Associate Director of Government Affairs for Riverkeeper. “We don’t have to choose between safe roads and safe water. With smart, science-driven strategies, we can protect public health, preserve our environment, and ensure safe winter travel. The Road Salt Reduction Council is a crucial step toward achieving that balance. We thank Senator Harckham and Assemblymembers Jones for their leadership in tackling this growing threat to our drinking water.”
“The New York League of Conservation Voters supports the establishment of a New York State Road Salt Reduction Council and a Citizen Advisory Committee to help ensure the safety of our roads doesn’t compromise the safety of our drinking water,” said Pat McClellan, Policy Director for the New York League of Conservation Voters. “We thank Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Billy Jones for their leadership and we urge the State Senate and Assembly to pass this common-sense measure for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”
“Salt is good for the Dead Sea but bad for New York’s drinking water supply. Unfortunately, salt contamination is increasing in water supplies across the state and particularly threatening New York City. The evidence is clear: we can’t continue to haphazardly salt our way through winter without consequences. The Road Salt Pollution Action Plan is a science-based, best practices solution that will protect our health and drinking water, preserve our freshwater ecosystems, and save future generations from the cost of inaction. This bill puts New York on the road toward cleaner water and a more sustainable future before it’s too late. We need to break the salt habit,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
“The continued inefficient use of road salt is posing a real threat to New York’s drinking water. Increasing salinity poses a health risk to New Yorkers, especially those on low sodium diets and could render our water sources unusable as a source of drinking water in the foreseeable future. In addition to the health risks, it threatens our infrastructure and the biodiversity of our environments. The NYSAWWA supports A4481a/S6976a, the recommendations derived from this legislation would improve water quality for future generations while maintaining safe roads,” said Jenny Ingrao-Aman, Executive Director of New York Section of the American Water Works Association (NYSAWWA).
