The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) sent out the spring edition of the Smart Salting Update yesterday, April 12th. To receive Smart Salting Updates, along with other updates of interest to you, head to the MPCA Smart Salting webpage and enter your email address on the right-hand side of the page.

Below are the topics included in the spring Smart Salting Update:

• MPCA seeks feedback on need for more advanced Road Weather Prediction Services
• Upcoming MPCA Smart Salting Certification Trainings
• Getting certified – Why get salt smart?
• New! MPCA grant for chloride reduction from water softening activities
• Success in reducing salt use – Epic Systems Corporation
• Save the Date! 2021 Salt Symposium

MPCA seeks feedback on need for more advanced Road Weather Prediction Services

The MPCA Smart Salting program is considering creating a new state contract open to local governments for road weather prediction services at competitive prices, if there is local interest. Anyone interested is asked to complete this survey by April 28th, 2021.

Upcoming MPCA Smart Salting Certification Trainings

It is possible to apply less salt safely while improving operations and still offering a high level of service by attending an online MPCA Smart Salting Certification Training (upcoming trainings listed below).

• Smart Salting Assessment tool (SSAt) – Level 2: Tuesday, April 20th
• Parking Lots & Sidewalks: Tuesday, April 27th
• Property Management: Tuesday, May 11th and Tuesday, June 8th
• Roads Training: Tuesday, May 18th

See the additional bulletin sent by MPCA earlier today on Smart Salting Trainings for course descriptions, registration links, and more.

Visit the MPCA Smart Salting Training page for the training calendar and list of certificate holders. Detailed training information is on the Salt Applicators page.

Getting certified – Why get salt smart?

New to Smart Salting Trainings? Get details and hear from other maintenance pros that are now using less salt and still offering a high level of service! Watch the new 3-minute MPCA Smart Salting Training for Winter Maintenance Professionals promo video!

The recently reissued MPCA Municipal Stormwater (MS4) General Permit requires specific chloride reduction activities for permittees. Some permittees must also conduct an annual winter maintenance operations assessment to assist in identifying de-icing salt reduction opportunities on permittee owned/operated surfaces. The MPCA Stormwater Wiki offers guidance on requirements for permittees that have an applicable waste load allocation (WLA) for chloride and meeting chloride TMDL permit requirements. If your MS4 has a WLA for chloride, actively completing the Smart Salting Assessment tool is one way to satisfy the requirements under the new 2020 MS4 General Permit (item 22.6).

The MPCA water permit holders and chloride webpage offers a more detailed summary of all chloride related requirements.

New! MPCA grant for chloride reduction from water softening activities

The MPCA is offering a new Chloride Reduction grant for the development of a project that provides direct assistance to upgrade and optimize water-softening systems in targeted communities with elevated chloride levels in surface waters or wastewater discharge.

The application deadline is 4:00 pm on May 7th. For grant application materials and more information, see the MPCA Chloride Reduction Grants webpage.

Success in reducing salt use – Epic Systems Corporation

The Smart Salting Update featured a success story in salt use by Epic Systems Corporation in Verona, WI.

Save the Date! 2021 Salt Symposium

Be sure to save the date for the 2021 Salt Symposium: two days of chloride research and innovation – August 3rd and 4th, 2021. Symposium registration opens soon! See an early draft agenda, award nomination forms, sponsorship opportunities, signing up for updates, and more at www.fortinconsulting.com/2021-symposium/.