Join LCSG and Partners at the Road Salt Education Summit

Sustainable road salting keeps people safe, saves communities money, and protects waterways. Lake Champlain Sea Grant is pleased to host an interactive workshop for municipal leaders, road crews, private contractors, and others who manage snow and ice on roads and other surfaces in the winter.

The event is also appropriate for municipal leaders and board members who are interested in learning about sustainable salt practices that are or can be implemented to reduce salt use during winter. The workshop will be held at Outbound Stowe at 876 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT, on Thursday, October 9 from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Learn more and register for the event.

“Reducing use of salt during winter is a win-win-win. Communities and businesses have proven that salt use can be reduced by nearly 50% without risking public safety,” says Kris Stepenuck, Extension Program Leader with Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension, a coordinator of the event. “Use of sustainable practices not only keeps people safe, but it can lower salt costs for communities and benefit the environment,” said Stepenuck.

Workshop participants will learn about and access resources that describe sustainable salt practices communities and private contractors across the basin are implementing to manage snow and ice, which both keep people safe and reduce salt use. 

In an afternoon session, participants can select to learn how to calibrate equipment to understand how much salt is being distributed at any given time, visit vendors, or can visit Hyde Park, Vermont, to learn about a salt-water mixture that can be used to prewet salt before it is put on the road. This technology, combined with tracking road pavement temperatures and calibration, has helped Hyde Park reduce their use of salt by almost 50% over the past four winters.

The event is sponsored by Metal Pless, Innovative Surface Solutions, and Certified Power Solutions.

Municipal staff, private contractors, businesses, and individuals can learn more about reducing use of salt in winter on the Salt Savvy Champlain website.