On Tuesday, Montana lawmakers will hear a bill that would reduce the amount of salty road de-icers used on streets and roads.
A 2010 United States Geological Survey report found that winter runoff can push significant amounts of the de-icer into streams, increasing their toxicity for fish and other aquatic life.
Republican Senator Dee Brown of Hungry Horse is carrying Senate Bill 369 and says it’s necessary to keep Montana water clear.
“I believe that with our clean waters in the state of Montana we need to look at more environmentally friendly products,” Brown said.
The bill would require de-icers with salt, or its cousin magnesium chloride, to be reduced by 10 percent each year for 10 years or until it’s at the same usage it was in 2007.
This would not include salt occurring naturally in sand mixtures, also used to de-ice roads and provide traction on ice.
The bill is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m.
(This post has been updated to reflect that Brown is a state senator, not a representative.)
