SENATE BILL No. 271

March 1, 2001, Introduced by Senator VAN REGENMORTER and referred to the Committee

on Transportation and Tourism.

A bill to require studies of the environmental impact of

salt and certain replacements, including alternative techniques,

for salt; and to create a temporary commission and prescribe its

powers and duties.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1 Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the

2 "environmental road safety act".

3 Sec. 2. As used in this act:

4 (a) "Commission" means the commission on environmental road

5 safety created in section 4.

6 (b) "Salt" means 1 or more of the following:

7 (i) Sodium chloride.

8 (ii) Calcium chloride.

9 (iii) Potassium chloride.

00667'01 ** MRM

2

1 (iv) Magnesium chloride.

2 (v) Sodium sulphate.

3 (vi) Calcium sulphate.

4 (vii) Potassium sulphate.

5 (viii) Magnesium sulphate.

6 (c) "Salt alternatives" means substances or techniques that

7 do not contain or use salt.

8 Sec. 3. (1) The commission shall make the following studies

9 within the times prescribed by subsection (2) with respect to the

10 use of salt alternatives instead of or along with the use of

11 salt:

12 (a) A study of the public safety and effectiveness of salt

13 alternatives on the roads and highways of this state.

14 (b) A study of the effect of salt and salt alternatives with

15 respect to corrosion or deterioration of the roads, highways, and

16 bridges of this state and the vehicles operating on, and struc-

17 tures located near, those roads, highways, and bridges.

18 (c) A study of the short- and long-term environmental impact

19 of continuing to use salt compared with the use of salt alterna-

20 tives on the roads and highways of this state. In the study, the

21 commission shall also consider the effects on the environment

22 associated with the storage of salt compared with the storage of

23 a salt alternative, including, but not limited to, groundwater

24 contamination, salinization of the Great Lakes and of ground and

25 surface waters, and effects on plants and animals.

00667'01 **

3

1 (d) A study of the long-term cost-effectiveness of using

2 salt alternatives instead of salt on the roads and highways of

3 the state. The study shall include all of the following:

4 (i) The total cost of salt alternatives compared with the

5 continued use of salt over a 25-year period taking into account

6 the environmental impact, corrosion, and economic potential

7 information contained in the studies required under this

8 section.

9 (ii) A statement of the comparison of the costs calculated

10 in subparagraph (i) expressed as an annual cost per vehicle reg-

11 istered in this state.

12 (iii) The financial impact on local units of government of

13 use of salt alternatives.

14 (iv) Recommendations of ways to avert the financial impact

15 on local units of government for using salt alternatives.

16 (v) An estimate of potential savings that would be realized

17 by the federal government as a direct result of the use of salt

18 alternatives.

19 (e) A study of the potential for production of a salt alter-

20 native by businesses of this state and whether economic incen-

21 tives to encourage production are necessary and desirable.

22 (2) The studies required under subsection (1)(a), (b), (c),

23 (d), and (e) shall be completed by December 31, 2002.

24 Sec. 4. (1) The commission on environmental road safety is

25 created for the specific purposes of conducting the studies

26 described in section 3 and making recommendations in the form of

27 a report to the legislature based on those studies relative to

00667'01 **

4

1 the use of salt alternatives on the roads and highways of this

2 state.

3 (2) The commission shall include in the report required

4 under subsection (1) its recommendations regarding all of the

5 following:

6 (a) Application amounts and methods of road salt devices.

7 (b) Whether salt should be banned from usage on part or all

8 of the roads and highways of this state.

9 (c) Whether salt should be used in conjunction with other

10 materials.

11 (d) If salt should be banned, the type of salt alternative

12 that should be used as a replacement.

13 (e) If there should be a transition from salt to a salt

14 alternative, the phase-in periods for the transition.

15 (f) A ranking of salt sensitive areas within the state.

16 (3) The commission shall complete its evaluation and make

17 the report required under subsection (1) to the legislature by

18 June 1, 2003.

19 (4) The commission shall consist of 12 members appointed by

20 the governor within 90 days after the effective date of this act

21 with the advice and consent of the senate for terms of 2 years

22 from the following areas:

23 (a) One member shall represent local units of government who

24 shall not be a member of the road agency in a local unit.

25 (b) One member shall represent the boards of county road

26 commissioners.

00667'01 **

5

1 (c) One member shall represent the road interests of cities

2 and villages.

3 (d) One member shall be an economist.

4 (e) One member shall represent environmental interests per-

5 taining to surface, ground, and lake water.

6 (f) One member shall represent environmental interests per-

7 taining to plants and animals.

8 (g) One member who shall be an agronomist and a soil scien-

9 tist shall represent agricultural interests.

10 (h) One member shall represent business other than the deic-

11 ing industry.

12 (i) Two members shall represent the state transportation

13 department, 1 of whom shall be a highway engineer.

14 (j) One member shall represent public health interests.

15 (k) One member shall represent the general public.

00667'01 ** Final page. MRM