WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) February 28, 2008: The Northern Westchester Watershed Committee released its Highway Deicing Task Force Report this month. The report documents existing conditions in the Croton Watershed, describes the environmental impacts of road salt and alternatives and provides strategies to decrease the use of road salt without sacrificing safety.

Some communities have already begun installing computerized salt monitors on their deincing equipment to limit the amount of salt and deicing chemicals that can work into the county watershed sources.    

“The health of our water bodies is of vital importance to Westchester,” said County Executive Andy Spano.  “This report shows us how to improve record-keeping on alt usage and how to protect our natural resources through best management practices.”

In 2006, Spano, the watershed committee and Alex Matthiessen, president of Riverkeeper, focused attention on the effect road salt can have on water quality. In response, this task force was created to protect natural resources while providing for the safety of the traveling public. The task force concluded that the general public lacks an understanding of the impact salt and other deicing chemicals have on water quality.

The report was distributed to municipalities, and some have already begun to implement recommendations.  For example, the towns of Somers and North Castle will be fitting equipment with computerized salt spreaders to monitor and control  the amount of salt spread on roads.

Funding for further implementation and possible expansion of the report will be discussed at future NWWC meetings.  The report is available online by clicking on the stormwater tab at http://www.westchestergov.com/planning/environmental/.  For more information, contact Christina Anderson, environmental planner, at (914) 995-3782 or cca1@westchestergov.com.