A 4481: Establishes the New York road salt reduction council and the New York road salt reduction advisory committee to provide a mechanism for interagency cooperation and coordination to implement the recommendations of the report of the Adirondack road salt reduction task force.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4481 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JONES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to establishing the New York road salt reduction council and the New York road salt reduction advisory committee 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 article 2 23 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 23 4 NEW YORK ROAD SALT REDUCTION PROGRAM 5 Section 500. Legislative findings. 6 501. Definitions. 7 502. New York road salt reduction council. 8 503. New York road salt reduction advisory committee. 9 § 500. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the report of 10 the Adirondack road salt reduction task force complies with the Randy 11 Preston road salt reduction act, and that its recommendations should be 12 implemented to protect public health and the environment from contam- 13 ination by road salt. The legislature further finds that effective 14 implementation requires interagency cooperation and coordination, atten- 15 tion extending beyond the boundaries of the Adirondack park. A mechanism 16 for such does not currently exist but should be created. The legislature 17 further recognizes that both state and local agencies need the expertise 18 and experience of scientists, engineers, nongovernmental institutions 19 advocating for clean water, highway users, and others in developing 20 solutions to the problems posed by the need to control ice and snow for 21 the safety of the traveling public without contaminating drinking water 22 and impairing natural resources supporting life, a sound economy, and 23 healthful recreation. The legislature also finds that the public has a EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08643-01-5 
 A. 4481 2 1 right to know about the purchase, storage, and use of road salt by 2 governmental entities and the effects thereof. 3 § 501. Definitions. As used in this article the following terms shall 4 have the following meanings: 5 1. "Advisory committee" means the New York road salt reduction advi- 6 sory committee established by section five hundred three of this arti- 7 cle. 8 2. "Council" means the New York salt reduction council established by 9 section five hundred two of this article. 10 3. "Pilot program" means the road salt reduction pilot studies 11 described in the Report. 12 4. "Report" means the two thousand twenty-three report of the task 13 force to the governor and legislature, including its recommendations and 14 background and technical appendix. 15 5. "Task force" means the Adirondack road salt reduction task force 16 established under the Randy Preston road salt reduction act. 17 § 502. New York road salt reduction council. 1. There is hereby estab- 18 lished the New York road salt reduction council. Such council shall 19 consist of a total of fifteen members and shall include: 20 (a) the commissioner; 21 (b) the commissioner of environmental conservation; 22 (c) the commissioner of health; 23 (d) the chairperson of the New York state thruway authority; 24 (e) the commissioner of the New York city department of environmental 25 protection; 26 (f) the presidents of the New York state association of counties, New 27 York association of towns and the New York conference of mayors; 28 (g) three appointees upon recommendation of the senate majority; 29 (h) three appointees upon recommendation of the assembly majority; and 30 (i) the chair of the road salt reduction advisory committee. 31 With the exception of the chair of the road salt reduction advisory 32 committee and any members appointed by the legislature, all other 33 members may appoint a designee to serve on their behalf. 34 2. The commissioner and the commissioner of environmental conservation 35 or their designees shall serve as joint chairs of the council. 36 3. The members of the council shall include individuals with expertise 37 in the science of road salt contamination and the best practices of road 38 management. Task force members shall receive no compensation for their 39 services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses 40 incurred in the performance of their duties, to the extent funds are 41 appropriated for such purpose. Each member of the council shall be enti- 42 tled to one vote. Any approvals or adoptions of recommendations by the 43 council shall require a supermajority of its members. No action may be 44 taken by the council unless there is a quorum, which shall be a majority 45 of the members of the council. Any vacancies on the council shall be 46 filled in the manner provided for the initial appointment. The council 47 shall meet at least quarterly. 48 4. The council shall, without limitation: 49 (a) From time to time assess the nature, scope and magnitude of the 50 environmental, ecological, agricultural, economic, recreational, and 51 social impacts caused by the use of road salt in the state; 52 (b) By two thousand twenty-eight, recommend quantifiable limits in 53 regulation for road salt use that are protective of water quality stand- 54 ards and drinking water maximum contaminant levels, while preserving 55 acceptable levels of service for the driving public; 
 A. 4481 3 1 (c) Recommend incentives for the local adoption of best management 2 practices for minimum salt use during winter road maintenance; 3 (d) Recommend scientifically defensible drinking water maximum contam- 4 inant levels and water quality standards that protect freshwater ecology 5 and public health, to be adopted by the department of environmental 6 conservation and department of health, respectively; 7 (e) Recommend actions for state agencies to undertake to comply with 8 quantifiable limits for road salt use as proposed under paragraph (b) of 9 this subdivision; 10 (f) Recommend budget allocations and/or legislation necessary to 11 reduce road salt use while maintaining acceptable levels of service for 12 the driving public; 13 (g) From time to time make a record of actions taken by members of the 14 council, state and local governments, and the public to implement the 15 recommendations of the task force in the report; 16 (h) Monitor the progress of the Adirondack road salt reduction pilot 17 programs and determine what follow up steps are in the public interest 18 to implement recommendations statewide; and 19 (i) Regularly share data, including that provided by the advisory 20 committee, among members of the council, state and local governments, 21 the advisory committee, and the public to inform decision-making, reduce 22 inconsistent and redundant actions, and identify problems requiring 23 coordinated actions. 24 5. The council shall prepare an annual report describing its activ- 25 ities during the preceding twelve months. Such report shall be submitted 26 to the governor and legislature and made available to the public. 27 § 503. New York road salt reduction advisory committee. 1. There is 28 hereby established the New York road salt reduction advisory committee 29 that is comprised of individuals representing nongovernmental organiza- 30 tions with knowledge about the public health, environmental and road 31 safety implications of road salt use. Such advisory committee shall have 32 up to twenty-five members, with up to seven members selected by the 33 commissioner and commissioners of environmental conservation and health, 34 up to six members selected by the senate majority, up to six members 35 selected by the assembly majority, up to three members selected by the 36 senate minority and up to three members selected by the assembly minori- 37 ty, with at least one member from each of the following: 38 (a) Adirondack watershed institute at Paul Smith's college; 39 (b) College of agriculture and life sciences of Cornell university; 40 (c) Hudson riverkeeper; 41 (d) Lake George association; 42 (e) any New York based branch of the American Automobile Association; 43 (f) Snow and ice management association; 44 (g) the New York section of the American water works association; 45 (h) the New York state drinking water quality council; 46 (i) Cary institute; and 47 (j) New York state federation of lake associations. 48 2. Promptly upon the selection of at least twelve members to the advi- 49 sory committee, the commissioner and the commissioner of environmental 50 conservation shall convene a meeting of the advisory committee at which 51 the advisory committee by majority vote of those present shall select a 52 chair from among the members to preside over the meeting and future 53 meetings. Thereafter, meetings may be held as shall be determined by the 54 chair or upon the written request of at least five members. Any member 55 can attend advisory committee meetings in person or by means of communi- 56 cations equipment allowing all persons participating to hear each other 
 A. 4481 4 1 at the same time. A majority of the selected and then serving members 2 shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business at advisory 3 committee meetings. 4 3. The advisory committee shall provide information, advice, and guid- 5 ance to the council concerning the use, management, and effects of road 6 salt on public highways including, but not limited to, implementing the 7 recommendations of the task force, conducting the pilot program, new 8 relevant scientific data and findings, changes in snow and ice manage- 9 ment technologies, and factors relating to the appropriate balance 10 between maintaining safe roads and otherwise protecting clean drinking 11 water and other natural resources from contamination. 12 4. The members of the advisory committee shall serve without compen- 13 sation, except members shall be allowed their necessary and actual 14 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this section. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.