We need a Salt Wise Wisconsin!
At WI Salt Wise, we engage year-round with winter maintenance professionals. We hear their concerns around trying to protect freshwater while maintaining safe pavement conditions AND fearing liability in the case of a slip-and-fall.
Senate Bill 52 would incentivize training in, and adoption of, winter maintenance best practices. Registered professionals would receive liability protection if they follow best practices, reducing the fear of lawsuits that often drives oversalting.
What can you do?
Fill out this online form to voice your opinion to Governor Evers.
|
In case it's helpful, you can copy and paste this message: Dear Governor Evers,
Support Senate Bill 52!
A voluntary deicer applicator certification program will provide liability protection to those who receive training in best practices and demonstrate that they have done their due diligence. Our current norms around salt use are not sustainable. The fear of liability will continue to drive the widespread overuse of salt until we address it with legislation like SSA2 to SB52.
Please address the drivers of oversalting and protect our freshwater!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
PS More background on why I care about this issue: All the salt that we apply to pavement ends up in our lakes, streams and rivers through runoff and storm drains. Salt is a permanent pollutant. Once road salt enters our water, there is no practical way to remove it.
Salt degrades water quality by contaminating drinking water, corroding pipes and leaching metals into our water. High levels of sodium are a danger to human health, especially for those with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure. Chloride is toxic to native freshwater species. Salt also damages vegetation and degrades soil.
Salt use costs the US $16-19 billion annually in damages to infrastructure like roads and bridges.
|