Salt Bill for Maryland

Delegate Lily Qi, from District 15, is promoting a bill on salt - see Legislation - HB0371. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/.../Legisla.../Details/HB0371...

It will require the Department of the Environment to establish a Salt Applicator Certification Program to encourage efficient winter maintenance of roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks through the use of salt or salt alternatives; requiring each commercial applicator to participate in the Program, be certified on or before October 1, 2024. Senator Cheryl Kagan has an equivalent Senate Bill - see Legislation - SB0246 (maryland.gov). Karl Van Neste is testifying in favor of these cross-filed bills. The bill is not perfect, but it is an important step in the right direction.

If you live in D17, Kumar Barve and Jim Gilchrist haven't announced their intentions, you could write them to ask them to support these bills - see:

kumar.barve@house.state.md.us

jim.gilchrist@house.state.md.us

If you live in D15, Senator Brian Feldman is at: brian.feldman@senate.state.md.us

The letter could be something simple like this:

Dear <Delegate/Senator>,

Please support HB0371 or SB0246. We need to properly manage salt. Right now salt is dumped without regard to the consequences - dead fish, vegetation, our water supply, corroded pipes, bridges, roads, and cars. I am concerned about long-term toxic levels of chloride.

Sincerely,

<your full name, address, and environmental group affiliation>

We appreciate Karl Van Neste sharing this with us. If you missed his talk, “The True Cost of Salt,” look at our video library here: https://www.senecacreekwp.org/vsideos.