New Jersey A 487: Requires DOT to conduct study and issue report on use of rock salt on roadways.

Bill Text

ASSEMBLY, No. 487

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ROBERT D. CLIFTON
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS
Requires DOT to conduct study and issue report on use of rock salt on
roadways.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

A487 CLIFTON
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AN ACT requiring the New Jersey Department of Transportation to 1
conduct a study on the use of rock salt on roadways. 2
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BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 4
of New Jersey: 5
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1. a. The Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with 7
the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, shall conduct a 8
study on the use of rock salt on roadways in this State and shall 9
prepare and submit a written report, within one year of the effective 10
date of this act, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of 11
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, which shall 12
include, but not be limited to, the following: 13
(1) information on the amount and cost of rock salt used by the 14
Department of Transportation to clear snow and ice from roadways 15
over the preceding 10 years; 16
(2) efforts that have been undertaken by the Department of 17
Transportation to reduce the use of rock salt in clearing snow and 18
ice from roadways over the preceding 10 years, including, but not 19
limited to, information on whether the department utilizes road 20
sensors to monitor pavement temperatures to ensure that rock salt is 21
used at the appropriate time, in the appropriate place, and in an 22
appropriate amount and whether, and to what extent, snow plows 23
are equipped with tracking gear to collect information on weather, 24
road conditions, and the amount of rock salt being used; 25
(3) how the use of rock salt on roadways has impacted the levels 26
of sodium chloride in the State’s lakes, waterways, wells, and 27
drinking water and how increased levels of sodium chloride impact 28
aquatic life, fisheries, irrigation, recreation, and the quality of life 29
of New Jersey residents; 30
(4) information on indirect costs associated with the use of rock 31
salt by the Department of Transportation, including any costs 32
incurred as a result of increased levels of sodium chloride in the 33
State’s lakes, waterways, wells, and drinking water; 34
(5) information on alternatives to rock salt that have been 35
utilized by the Department of Transportation to assist in clearing 36
snow and ice from roadways; and 37
(6) an analysis of feasible alternatives to rock salt that could be 38
utilized by the Department of Transportation in the future to assist 39
in clearing snow and ice from roadways, including alternatives that 40
may partially reduce or replace the use of rock salt in certain 41
weather or geographical situations and including an analysis of the 42
financial and environmental advantages and disadvantages of each 43
feasible alternative. 44
b. In addition to the written report submitted pursuant to 45
subsection a. of this section, the Commissioner of Transportation 46
may submit a proposal for legislation that, in the opinion of the 47

A487 CLIFTON
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commissioner, improves the laws of this State regarding the use of 1
rock salt to clear snow and ice from roadways. 2
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2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon 4
the submission of the written report to the Governor and the 5
Legislature pursuant to section 1 of this act. 6
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STATEMENT 9
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This bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation 11
(commissioner), in consultation with the Commissioner of 12
Environmental Protection, to conduct a study on the use of rock salt 13
on roadways in this State and to prepare and submit a written report 14
to the Governor and the Legislature on the topic. The written report 15
is to include: 16
(1) information on the amount and cost of rock salt used by the 17
Department of Transportation (department) over the prior 10 years; 18
(2) efforts that have been undertaken by the department to 19
reduce the use of rock salt over the prior 10 years; 20
(3) how the use of rock salt on roadways has impacted the levels 21
of sodium chloride in the State’s lakes, waterways, wells, and 22
drinking water and how increased levels of sodium chloride impact 23
aquatic life, fisheries, irrigation, recreation, and the quality of life 24
of New Jersey residents; 25
(4) information on indirect costs associated with the use of rock 26
salt by the department; 27
(5) information on alternatives to rock salt that have been 28
utilized by the department; and 29
(6) an analysis of feasible alternatives to rock salt that could be 30
utilized by the department in the future, including an analysis of the 31
financial and environmental advantages and disadvantages of each 32
feasible alternative. 33
In addition to the written report, the commissioner is authorized 34
to submit a proposal for legislation that