SB 511-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

02/08/2024   0413s

2024 SESSION

24-2918

11/08

SENATE BILL 511-FN

AN ACT relative to salt reduction in Merrimack.

SPONSORS: Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Rep. Healey, Hills. 12; Rep. N. Murphy, Hills. 12; Rep. Rung, Hills. 12; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 12

COMMITTEE: Transportation

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

ANALYSIS

This bill specifies salt application requirements and procedures in Merrimack, New Hampshire.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02/08/2024   0413s 24-2918

11/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

AN ACT relative to salt reduction in Merrimack.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  New Section; Salt Reduction; Town of Merrimack.  Amend RSA 489-C by inserting after section 5 the following new section:

489-C:6  Salt Reduction; Town of Merrimack.  Upon a written request from the Town of Merrimack signed by the Town Council, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, and the School Board, the department of transportation in consultation with the town officials shall implement a low salt area on Continental Boulevard and Industrial Drive within the Merrimack Village District wellhead protection area, and to the maximum extent possible, pre-treat with liquid deicers and other deicing products for a winter weather event to reduce hazards while minimizing the use of granular salt and chlorides.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBA

24-2918

Amended 3/5/24

SB 511-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2024-0413s)

AN ACT relative to salt reduction in Merrimack.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes a procedure for the Town of Merrimack to request the Department of Transportation implement a low salt area on Continental Boulevard and Industrial Drive within the Merrimack Village District wellhead protection area, and to the maximum extent possible, pre-treat with liquid deicers and other deicing products for a winter weather event to reduce hazards while minimizing the use of granular salt and chlorides. The Department has provided the following assumptions and potential costs attributable to this bill:

• The requirements of this bill will not go into effect until winter of 2024-2025.  
• The Merrimack Water Village intent is to minimize or remove salt use and to find alternate non-chloride liquid deicer solution only for treatment.  Given this intent, it is assumed that alternative deicers and/or extraordinary measures will be needed to reduce chlorides and protect public safety.
• To accomplish liquid deicing, the Bureau of Turnpikes will need to purchase a tanker truck to apply the liquid deicer, an additional storage tank at the Merrimack shed for alternative liquid deicer beyond its brine tank, and hire an additional employee to operate the truck and focus primarily on this area of the Turnpike.  
• A position would need to be added in FY 2025 to allow the new employee time to become familiar with DOT winter operations prior to having the responsibility of maintaining this area with limited salt use and use of more liquid deicers.  This employee could possibly test various liquids in the winter of 2024-2025 with support from the DOT Winter Specialist and its contract vendor in coordination and approval from the town. Treatment operations of mainly utilizing deicers is new to Department on a roadway that carries a lot of traffic.   
• Due to the economy and reduction in manufacturers of this type of truck, it may not be available for winter operations at the earliest winter of 2025-2026.
• Presently the Turnpike System is utilizing a contact vendor to pre-treat this area to help support its salt reduction.  The plan is to continue to utilize a contract vendor for the pre-treatment next winter.
• The Department will provide the tracking of anti-icing through a Rexroth spreader controller via its Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVL’s).  At times, the Rexroth spreader controller can run in error so data may not be available until support is available to analyze the system.  Merrimack units will be a higher priority to fix.
• The Department’s contract vendor also provides tracking of pre-treatment liquids used.   

* Assuming a hire date of 7/1/24 (the Department anticipates the new hire should have one year of state winter maintenance experience to be familiar with its normal operations, and possibly test the new operation of brine only through use of its brine trailer in certain areas). It should be noted that this bill provides neither appropriation nor authorization for new personnel.

The Department states that since this bill includes no new funding, should turnpike funds be expended to meet the bill’s requirements, there would be a reduction required to offset in operations and maintenance (e.g., removal of graffiti, removal of homeless encampments, etc.).

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Transportation