State DOT Commissioner Dominguez scheduled to give remarks

Lake George, NY — The 2023 Adirondack Champlain Regional Salt Summit will convene on October 3, with registration at 7:30 a.m. and the program concluding at 3 p.m., at the Fort William Henry Hotel Conference Center as well as online. It is open to everyone interested in maintaining safe winter roads while also protecting the environment and saving money through road salt reduction and best management practices. Past participants include highway crews, elected officials, building and grounds managers, business owners, winter maintenance contractors, and freshwater protection organizations. Registration and attendance are free.

It is presented by the Lake George Association (LGA), which spearheads the Lake George Road Salt Reduction Initiative, and Lake Champlain Sea Grant.

This year’s featured panel discussion will focus on the “Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force Assessment and Recommendations,” which were released by NY State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) on September 5, 2023. Co-chairs of the task force, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, are invited to kick off the panel with opening remarks. Commissioner Dominguez is scheduled to participate.

The panel also includes four task force appointees, who will discuss the impacts, the process, and the plan to move forward on the recommendations. They are: Joe Martens, former NY State DEC Commissioner; Kevin Hajos, Superintendent of Public Works at Warren County; Gerald Delaney, Executive Director of the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board; and Dr. Dan Kelting, Interim President of Paul Smith’s College.

The day’s agenda will also include:
• Salt and sand reduction success stories from Washington County, NY, and Peru, NY
• The new brining co-op in the Town of Lake George to make brine more accessible to private businesses
• A presentation on the effects of road salt on the environment
• Two hours of networking and demonstrations of equipment, materials, and methodologies for reducing the use of road salt
• Calibration training by WIT Advisers on rock salt application equipment
• Panel discussion on how to engage the private sector in adopting reduced road salt practices

“With the recent release of the Adirondack Task Force report, the timing of this year’s Salt Summit couldn’t be better,” said Lake George Waterkeeper Chris Navitsky, who coordinates the Summit. “Now that the seven key recommendations are public, we can dive into next steps, including the best way to accelerate implementation of reducing road salt on winterroads. I expect a spirited discussion,” Navitsky said.

“The annual Salt Summit and the information it provides to those responsible for winter road safety is a destination event for the region, the state, and North America,” said Eric Siy,
President of the Lake George Association. “The Lake George Salt Reduction Initiative is proven to make roads safer, reduce the amount of road salt entering the soil and groundwater
by up to 50%, and save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars every year.” Leading Edge sponsor for the 8th Annual Adirondack Champlain Regional Salt Summit is Innovative Surface Solutions, a company specializing in effective, environmentally safer solutions for road safety and maintenance, industrial applications, and agriculture.

Free registration for the Salt Summit is at lakegeorgeassociation.org/salt-summit. In-person attendance includes a bag lunch. Online attendees will have the opportunity to stream all indoor presentations and technology demonstrations. For more information, please call the LGA at (518) 668-5913, ext. 301.

About the Lake George Association: The Lake George Association is the preeminent Lake-protection organization, providing technical and financial assistance to property owners; world-class research and direct protection programs through The Jefferson Project, the Lake George Waterkeeper, and an array of public-private partnerships; public education programs; and
public policy advocacy, all with the goal of protecting the Lake’s water quality today and for the future.

About the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Institute: The Lake Champlain Sea Grant Institute develops and shares science-based knowledge to benefit the environment and economies of the Lake Champlain basin. The Institute is a cooperative effort of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont (UVM) and the Lake
Champlain Research Institute at the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh. It operates through partnerships with UVM Extension, state and local government agencies, and numerous other local organizations.

Photo at top courtesy of the LGA.