For winter maintenance and property management professionals seeking to maintain safe surfaces using less salt.
In this issue:
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the MPCA Smart Salting Certification Trainings are now being offered online. We plan on providing the same level of high quality training you have come to expect. These trainings are federally funded, and must be conducted in the next six months. Continuity of operations through May and beyond is important. Thus we are striving to provide as many training opportunities as possible.
It is an exciting new opportunity for both current registrants and other interested maintenance professionals to get certified when many have shifted their workload to accommodate less public interaction. It also opens up the training to those that may not have otherwise had a chance to attend in person, regardless of situation.
All online trainings are open to anyone, providing more access to the different types of trainings offered. You may find it advantageous to sign up for an online training hosted by a local organization near you, providing the chance to be connected to local advocate organizations and businesses in your community.
All participants present at the end of each training must pass the online test to get certified. Certificates and evaluations will be sent electronically.
Registration is required and can be found on: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/smart-salting-training-calendar. General questions can be directed to smartsalting.pca@state.mn.us.
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Find Smart Salting trainings that meet your needs: such as Property Management, Parking Lots & Sidewalks, Roads or the Organizational Smart Salting Assessment Tool training.
We look forward to seeing you online!
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Smart Salting for Roads Certification Online Training
Date: April 9, 2020
Host Site: City of Edina Public Works
Registration required: Email host site contact - Jessica Vanderwerf-Wilson jwilson@edinamn.gov
Directions on how to access this online training will be sent after you register.
Smart Salting for Roads Certification Online Training
Date: April 15, 2020
Host Organization: City of Waconia Public Services
Registration required: Email Marnie Lucas mlucas@waconia.org
Directions on how to access this training will be sent after you register.
Smart Salting for Property Management Online Certification Training
Date: April 22, 2020
Host Site: Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
Host Site Contact: Jessica Jacobson jessica@fortinconsulting.com
Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-mpca-smart-salting-for-property-management-training-tickets-94493860681?aff=erellivmlt
Directions on how to access this training will be sent after you register.
Smart Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks Certification Online Training
Date: April 28, 2020
Host organization: City of Waconia Public Services
Registration required: Email Marnie Lucas mlucas@waconia.org
Directions on how to access this training will be sent after you register.
Level 2 Organizational Certification: Smart Salting Assessment Tool
Intended audience: Public and private organizations intending to assess organizational salt use and take steps to minimize it
Host Site: Riley-Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District
Host Site Contact: Maya Swope mswope@rpbcwd.org 952-687-1348
Registration required: https://smartsaltinglevel2.eventbrite.com
Directions on how to access this training will be sent after you register.
We recognize it is common for winter maintenance professionals to occasionally or fully work well into the summer on turfgrass maintenance.
Many of the common practices in the industry (fertilizer and pesticide use, irrigation and mowing techniques) have had significant impacts on our water resources.
Participants gain immediate practical knowledge on how to lower their environmental impact and save money while not sacrificing turf quality.
What you'll learn:
- Environmental impacts of common turf BMPs
- Equipment calibration and improved mowing techniques
- Selection and application of fertilizers and pesticides
- Legal issues to consider
Who should participate?
- Private/public park, cemetery, city and/or school grounds maintenance professionals
- Property managers writing contracts
- Turf care product distributors
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All registrants must be present and pass a test at the end of the online training to gain certification. All certificate holders are featured on the MPCA Turfgrass training webpage.
We are excited to offer online all of the detailed technical content of past trainings. Summer is just around the corner. Consider taking advantage of one of our many Turfgrass Maintenance trainings this spring!
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Turfgrass Maintenance Certification Online Training
Date: April 9, 2020
Host Organization: Coon Creek Watershed
Registration required: Contact Britta Dornfeld bdornfeld@cooncreekwd.org or 763-258-7305.
Directions on how to participate online will be emailed to you after you register.
Turfgrass Maintenance Certification Online Training
Date: April 21, 2020
Host organization: Dakota County and Vermillion River Watershed
Registration required by April 16: Paula Liepold paula.liepold@co.dakota.mn.us
Directions on how to participate online will be emailed to you after you register.
- City of Edina Public Works
- Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
- City of Waconia Public Services
- Riley-Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District
- MN Nursery and Landscape Association
- Coon Creek Watershed
- Dakota County and Vermillion River Watershed
Now is a great time to be sweeping and collecting up the last of the over-applied excess salt on your paved surfaces. Municipalities and businesses are encouraged to collect it and store it properly in an enclosed area, protected from weather events. There are some municipalities, in particular, who have successfully been offering a collection storage area for their own, as well as others', excess springtime road salt.
Call your local watershed district, city, or county to see if one is available in your area. If not, encourage them to consider offering this important public service.
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Small Business Environmental Loan: This loan program offers zero-interest loans to small businesses for capital equipment purchases that help meet or exceed environmental regulations. To quality, a borrower must be a small business with less than 100 full-time employees and have an after-tax profit less than $500,000. Loan amounts available between $1,000 and $75,000. There is a generous repayment term of seven years. Applications accepted and awarded year-round. To apply, visit here.
Clean Water Partnership (CWP) Loans: This loan program offers zero-interest loans to local units of government (LUGs) to restore and protect our water resources. The max loan award is $3 million. Applications accepted and awarded year-round. Second-tier loans allow LUGs to make loans to landowners or other stakeholders. To apply, visit here.
It is important to note with both programs, the cost savings from reduced salt has the potential to cover the cost of repaying the loan each year, making it a win-win.
Both loans primarily cover the cost of smart salting capital equipment such as:
- Brine equipment
- Pavement temperature sensors
- New plow blade technology
- Vacuums
- Sweepers
- Ice breakers
- Brooms
- Ground speed spreaders
- Gas-powered AVL devices
- Salt storage
Mark your calendars for the 20th Annual Salt Symposium in Medina, MN on Aug. 5, 2020!
Topics: The latest chloride research and innovations, water softening, dust control, fertilizers, and more.
There is a unique opportunity to stay and take advantage of either a 'Roads' or 'Parking Lots and Sidewalks' Smart Salting training offered the next day!
Registration for the symposium opens soon. Visit the Salt Symposium website for more information.
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This newsletter is produced by the MPCA Chloride Reduction Program. Inquiries can be directed to smartsalting.pca@state.mn.us.
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