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S 9923

Relates to the storage of road salt

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jeremy Cooney

The bill requires state and local agencies to build impermeable, securely capped salt sheds within 10 years to store road salt away from water sources year-round.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
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Bill Summary · S 9923

Summary of Bill S.9923 (2025-2026) – New York

Purpose

This bill adds a new section to the New York Transportation Law to establish requirements for the storage of road salt. The core aim is to protect water resources and infrastructure by ensuring road salt is stored in properly constructed, secure, and appropriately located salt sheds.

Key Provisions

  • Requirement to construct salt sheds
    • The Department of Transportation (and every municipality, locality, and authority that distributes road salt) must construct a salt shed within ten years of the bill’s effective date.
  • Definition of road salt
    • Road salt is defined as a mineral form of sodium chloride used to melt snow and ice on roads by lowering water’s freezing point.
  • ** siting considerations and separation**
    • Salt sheds must be located with a reasonable separation from:
    • Streams, lakes, ponds
    • Private and public potable water wells
    • Groundwater sources used for public water systems
    • Surface waters of the state
    • Primary water supplies and principal/sole source aquifers
  • Year-round use to prevent leachate/precipitation mixing
    • Sheds must be used year-round to prevent precipitation from merging with the stored salt or salt-and-sand mixtures.
  • Structural and cover requirements
    • The bases of salt storage sheds, and their covers (if applicable), must be impermeable.
    • Covers must be secured against wind.
    • Covers must remain on the pile at all times and must be large enough to enclose the entire pile.
    • Covers should only be opened to the least necessary dimensions for transfer.

Who Is Affected

  • State and local transportation and public works entities
    • The New York Department of Transportation, along with all municipalities, localities, and authorities that distribute road salt, would be responsible for planning, funding, and constructing the required salt sheds.
  • Road salt storage operations
    • Facilities currently storing road salt would be subject to the new construction and design standards (impermeable bases, secured covers, etc.).

Timeline and Process

  • Effective date: The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.
  • Construction deadline: Salt sheds must be constructed within ten years of the act’s effective date.

Impact and Implications

  • Environmental protection
    • By enforcing separation from water sources and mandating impermeable bases and secured, enclosed storage, the bill aims to reduce potential salt runoff or leakage into groundwater and surface waters, protecting drinking water supplies and aquatic ecosystems.
  • Infrastructure and procurement
    • Local and state agencies will need to allocate funding, plan siting, and potentially redesign or retrofit storage facilities to meet impermeability and enclosure standards.
  • Operational considerations
    • The requirement for year-round use of sheds may influence storage practices and handling during non-snow seasons to minimize exposure to precipitation.

Additional Notes

  • The bill was introduced by Senator Cooney and has a co-sponsor (Jeremy Cooney).
  • It was referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation on April 16, 2026.

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

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