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Bill

A 9561

Relates to the distribution of road salt

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Deborah Glick and 3 co-sponsors

The bill caps road salt use and requires metering, calibration, and annual public reporting of salt usage to reduce environmental impact and costs.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
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Bill Summary · A 9561

Bill Summary: A 9561 (2025-2026) – Relates to the distribution of road salt

Basic information

  • Jurisdiction: New York
  • Session: 2025-2026
  • Introduced by: Assemblymember Magnarelli (with co-sponsors Dana Levenberg, Deborah Glick, Karines Reyes)
  • Committee: Transportation
  • Date introduced: January 14, 2026
  • Current status: Referred to Transportation

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to regulate and limit the distribution (application) of road salt used for melting snow and ice. It sets specific throughput limits on how much road salt can be spread by roads authorities and requires measures to ensure accurate use and transparency about salt usage.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Application rate limits

    • Road salt may not be spread at a rate exceeding:
      • 300 pounds per lane mile (average) during each snow and ice management season for roads, highways, and related facilities.
      • 4.7 pounds per 1,000 square feet for parking lots and sidewalks.
    • These limits apply to the department (likely the state Department of Transportation), every municipality, locality, and public authority.

  2. Definition of road salt

    • The bill defines “road salt” as a mineral form of sodium chloride used to melt snow and ice by lowering the freezing point of water.

  3. Equipment calibration and metering

    • All road salt equipment must be metered and calibrated to enforce the application rate limits and ensure accurate distribution.

  4. Public reporting and transparency

    • The department must provide annual data on its website about road salt use, making usage information accessible to the public.

  5. Effective date

    • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who/what would be affected

  • State agencies, municipalities, localities, and public authorities responsible for winter road treatment and maintenance would be subject to the salt distribution limits and equipment calibration/testing requirements.
  • Public-facing agencies would need to publish annual road salt usage data online.
  • Manufacturers or operators of road-salt spreader equipment may need to ensure meters and calibration meet the new requirements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.
  • Implementation considerations: Jurisdictions would need to assess current salt usage, audit fleet equipment for calibration and metering, and establish processes to publish annual usage data online.
  • Oversight: Enforced at the state and local levels through transportation authorities and relevant agencies.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Environmental and cost considerations: By capping salt distribution and requiring metering/calibration, the bill could reduce excessive salt use, potentially lowering environmental impacts (water quality, soil health) and salt-related road maintenance costs.
  • Operational implications: Agencies may need to adjust winter maintenance strategies to stay within the specified limits while maintaining road safety.
  • Transparency benefits: Public access to annual usage data could increase accountability and inform community discussions on road-salt practices.

If you’d like, I can compare these provisions to current New York practices or summarize related environmental or transportation policy context.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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