To the editor:
Are you disturbed by the whitish-gray coating on shrubs along our roadsides? Does it bother you to come across heaps of road salt hovering over a stream bank? Do you wonder whether salt could be poisoning freshwater fish and other wildlife relying on that stream to survive?
The answer should be yes, yes and yes! Road salt, primarily composed of sodium chloride, damages vegetation, aquatic ecosystems and, of biggest concern to the Raritan Headwaters Association, it degrades water quality.
While there is no one single solution to reducing road salt contamination of local waterways and groundwater, there are several recommendations by the RiverSides Stewardship Alliance to help municipalities explore alternative approaches.
Those include:
– More efficient application of road salt by computerized trucks;
– Better storage practices utilizing sheltered facilities with stormwater treatment and control;
— Management of equipment washwater;
– Locating “snow dumps” away from rivers and groundwater recharge areas; and
– Policies that advocate for moving away from bare pavement standards for secondary roads, and renewed emphasis on plowing.
Here in our watershed region, we prefer to see road SALTernatives, such as calcium magnesium acetate, applied in sensitive areas. We’ve also taken note that towns throughout the country have taken to using a whole host of eco-friendly products in recent years. Beside sand and grit, these include beet juice, cheese brine and sugar cane molasses and beer waste.
Of course, homeowners — especially those with children and pets — should also investigate SALTernatives for use on walkways and drives. Some RHA members already believe the “greenest” method to clear snow and ice is right at home in your shed.
“Our best line of defense has always been our shovels, and occasionally our heavy iron icebreaker,” said Michael Mistretta. “Over the years, we’ve also relied on cat litter, sand and fireplace ashes to provide foot and tire traction.”
Since 1959, the South Branch and Upper Raritan Watershed Associations have served as effective advocates for conservation throughout the 39 communities in Hunterdon, Morris and Somerset counties that make up the Raritan headwaters region. The merger of these two organizations in 2011 strengthens their ability to address today’s water quality issues and meet the enormous challenges to protect and provide clean drinking water for future generations.
The 470-square-mile watershed is home to about 400,000 people, is a vital component of the Highlands’ water supply system and contains large areas of undeveloped, environmentally significant land. To learn more about the Raritan Headwaters Association, visit www.raritanheadwaters.org or call 908-234-1852.
Pat Robinson
Public relations manager
Raritan Headwaters Association
Gladstone
