VIEWPOINT: Road-Salt Reduction Bill is a Win for Adirondack Region

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has recently signed legislation (A.8767a) that will create the Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force and a pilot program to establish alternatives to road salt to preserve drinking water and protect the environment in the Adirondack region. 

Studies show that road salt on state roads has created an unacceptable risk to both the environment and public health in the Adirondack region. 

As a cosponsor of the Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act, I’m thrilled to see the governor sign this legislation into law. This bi-partisan environmental bill provides common-sense solutions by listening to input from local highway superintendents and has the potential to save money for our community. 

Our residents deserve clean, safe drinking water and we need to ensure that our Adirondack region is preserved for generations to come. By reducing the use of road salt, we have taken a step in the right direction to protect our public health and our environment.      

Robert Smullen is the Republican representative of the 118th New York Assembly District, which encompasses Hamilton and Fulton counties as well as parts of Herkimer, Oneida, and St. Lawrence counties. This article is drawn from a news release his office issued on Dec. 3.