Overview: New Hampshire’s Voluntary Commercial and Municipal Salt Applicator certification program (Green SnowPro) managed by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) allows commercial and municipal winter maintenance professionals training and certification in salt reduction practices that prioritize public safety while mitigating salt usage. Commercial Green SnowPro certificate holders, and property  owners or managers who hire them, receive limited liability protection against damages arising from snow and ice conditions. The statute requires detailed record-keeping of the winter maintenance practices to be eligible for liability protection. The program is funded through annual certification fees.

• Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA 489-C)
• Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA 508:22)

More info:

• ​​Limited liability protection for snow and ice hazards provided for Commercial Green SnowPro certified applicators
• Different levels of certification available for both the Commercial and Municipal programs
• Annual renewal and continuing training required for Commercial and Municipal Green SnowPro certification 
• Commission adopts rules on training, record-keeping, policies, goals and procedures
• The annual certification fee is used to fund program management

Overview: Create deicer applicators registration program run by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Commercial applicators who are registered as trained and follow best practices would receive limited liability protection in the case of an injury due to a hazard created solely by snow and ice.

• Senate Bill (SB1019) – 2026
• Senate Bil (SB61) – 2023

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• Unregistered applicators receive no liability protections
• DATCP must develop training criteria for a 5 year valid license
• Annual Reporting maintained for 3 years
• DATCP can revoke registration for noncompliance

SB 61 frames deicer use as a water quality and environmental issue while SB 1019 frames it as a commercial practice and liability issue shaping how the bills are presented.

Overview: The bill creates a voluntary certification process for commercial salt applicators in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The bill encourages the best snow and ice removal practices and protects water quality. After completing training commercial salt applicators and property owners are provided limited liability protection when proper practices are documented.

• House File (HF793)

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• Promotes best management practices 
• MPCA approved training programs
• Renewal required every 10 years
• Detailed log of deicer type, date and weather kept for 6 years
• Certification to be water-friendly applicators
• Commissioner can revoke certification if program rules violated
• Annual reporting of types and amounts of deicers required

Overview: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources aims to establish a Chloride Contamination Reduction Program to reduce chloride pollution from road salt use. The program would provide voluntary training and certification to commercial salt applicators. A similar training would be integrated into the Vermont Local Roads Curriculum. If best management practices are followed the certified applicators would receive affirmative deference against liability claims. The implementation of these key diseases is contingent upon a general fund appropriation of $350000

• Session (S.218)

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• Liability protection is only applied when the damages are solely caused by ice or snow and the best practices are implemented
• Annual reporting of salt usage 
• Clearly states that a separate report is required for salt and sand storage facilities
• Third-party training vendors

Overview: Ohio has a statewide water quality initiative (H2Ohio) launched by Governor Mike DeWine in 2019. The program is administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission each have a significant role to play including reducing nutrient runoff, creating wetlands, and improving access to clean drinking water and quality sewer systems. More than $6 million in grants to 117 communities has been issued  to help obtain necessary equipment to reduce salt usage and prevent runoff from contaminating waterways.

• Chloride Reduction Projects
• Ohio EPA Grant Programs

More Info:

• Statewide water quality initiative designed to address complex issues using a comprehensive approach guided by science and data
• Focus on issues like algal blooms, stop pollution, and improve access to clean drinking water by supporting best farming practices, road salt runoff reduction, litter cleanup, dam removal, land conservation, and water infrastructure revitalization
• The programs aim to reduce chloride runoff entering water supply as it increases salinity and harms ecosystem
• An additional $1.5 million is available for 2026 and 2027
• Vulnerable areas are identified by EPA and request applicants like municipalities, townships and counties to improved technology that reduces salt use

Overview: The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Division of Water Supply Protection (DWSP) provides a 50/50 matching grant program to towns within the Wachusett Reservoir watersheds. By focusing on select municipalities within this drinking water supply watershed, the program ensures that resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact on drinking water protection. These strategies and research studying the fate and transport of road salt is carried out with researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

• DCR Watershed System Salt Reduction

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• The DWSP works with towns in the Wachusett watershed to ward 50/50 matching grants
• The DCR is oversees the protection of drinking water
• Multiple grants have been distributed beginning in 2021
• Eligible equipment includes salt brine generators, road temperature sensors, flexible plow blades and improved salt storage
• Partnerships include public outreach efforts at public salt distribution sites to raise awareness with informational signage, as well as informational videos posted on Youtube and social media

Overview: The bill introduced in 2026 proposes the state and local governments regulate the chloride use on roads. The goal is for winter road maintenance not environmental contamination. The New York transportation laws establish standards of salt application, equipment calibration and reporting requirements.

• Assembly Bill (A9561)

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• Limits to quantity of salt used is based on area for parking lots and sidewalks at 4.7lbs per 1000 square feet
• 300 pounds of road salt per lane mile on average
• All equipment must be metered and calibrated for accurate application
• The annual data must be publicly available and reported annually regarding the use of road salt

The need for state of art equipment & salt storage for winter maintenance is reinforced in A9564.

Overview: The bill prohibits individuals and applicators from storing road salt uncovered outdoors. Requires the Maryland Department of the Environment to establish regulations for proper outdoor storage. The bill wishes to adopt requirements and penalties for noncompliance. The enforcement of these measures would be carried out by the county stormwater management authorities in coordination with the Maryland Department of the Environment.

• House Bill (HB1360)

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• Does not relieve liability for salt discharges under the federal Clean Water Act
• The deicer is not allowed to be stored outdoors unless a federal permit with a salt management plan is in place
• The department must establish covering and containment requirement with remediation requirements for violations
• The opposition to the bill noted that it was an unfunded mandate and many counties do not have staff to document and enforce salt storage
• More specifically HB1055 covers how The State Highway Administration (SHA) must annually update, and publish on its website, a best practices guidance document for use by local jurisdictions and the State to minimize the adverse environmental impacts

Overview: The amendment works in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). This bill focuses on developing and annually updating a guide about Road Salt Management Best Practices Guide. The intent is to minimize environmental impacts while maintaining highway safety. It provides recommendations for municipalities regarding salt use, storage, and training with immediate effect.

• House Bill (HB664)

More info:

• The purpose of the guide is to find a balance between environmental impacts of road salt runoff and highway safety
• The guide is updated annually, publicly accessible and includes:
  • Recommended best management practice for deicer storage and application
  • Identifying the most vulnerable areas
  • Model training programs for local and state level
  • Recordkeeping and annual reporting of salt quantities and locations uses
• This is strictly a recommendations as the PennDOT cannot impose requirements on local governments or municipalities
• Oil, gas wastewater and brine are excluded from the definition of road salt

Overview: Creates a road salt applicator training program led by the Transportation Commissioner in consultation with environmental officials. The bill aims to design a training program to reduce salt pollution by implementing standardized best practices, using salt alternatives and engaging in more reporting. There is also a requirement for comprehensive reports that guide future implementation and liability protection.

• NY Assembly Bill (AB10050) – 2026
• Senate Bill (S5010) – 2025

More info:

• The training program cover topics like:
  • The science of salt pollution and its impact on the environment and humans
  • Monitoring technology and locating vulnerable areas
  • Best management practices for roads, parking lots and sidewalks
  • Using state of the art equipment for snow and ice removal
  • Deicer alternatives
• The program is developed through consultation with Cornell University, Cary institute of Ecosystem Studies, and Conservation Organizations

The 2025 Bill is more foundation and advisory in nature. It focuses on program creation rather than mandates. There is no specificity in research and consulting organizations. The key idea is to cover topics that are broad and create a framework for environmental consequences.