NEW and Upcoming Smart Salting Trainings
We have a new opportunity for local leaders to learn about smart salting. We highly encourage city council members, board members and other local decision makers to join us for a 90 minute workshop to learn about the impacts of chloride and find out specific action steps for policy changes that reduce salt pollution in your community. See registration links below.
*New* Smart Salting for Local Leaders Workshop
Who:
- City council members and other elected officials
- Members of sustainability and environmental commissions
- Board members of housing associations, neighborhood associations, or watershed districts
- Other local decision makers
When:
- Thursday, February 24 Register HERE *This week*
- Monday, March 7 Register HERE
February, March & April Smart Salting Training Classes
It’s not too late to attend our other virtual trainings! Earn a Smart Salting certification by learning how to maintain safety while decreasing damage to your infrastructure, saving money and protecting the environment by reducing salt use. *If you are an MS4 permittee, learn how these trainings can apply to your MS4 permit below.
Smart Salting for Parking Lots & Sidewalks
Learn more efficient winter maintenance practices for parking lots and sidewalks.
Who:
- Hands-on public or private winter maintenance staff (e.g., staff at parks, hospitals, or schools)
- Private winter maintenance contractors and staff
- Those who hire or supervise winter maintenance staff
When:
- Wednesday, February 23 Register HERE
- Tuesday, March 1 Register HERE *In person in La Crescent, MN with virtual instructors*
- Thursday, March 24 Register HERE
Smart Salting for Property Management
Learn how to reduce costly indoor and outdoor infrastructure damage to your properties caused by salt use, know if your maintenance crew is using sustainable practices, discuss liability/regulation issues, resources for managing customer expectations, and more.
Who:
- Management-level property managers
- Public and private property owners and managers
- Environmental professionals
- MS4 permit staff
- Public works directors
- Those who hire or supervise winter maintenance staff
When:
- Tuesday, April 19 Register HERE
Hear more: Smart Salting training for property management video
Smart Salting for Roads
This class shows you the essentials of winter maintenance for roads by teaching the technical aspects of:
- Calibration
- Recommended application rates
- Proactive alternatives to deicing
- Weather information to more accurately plan
Who:
- City, county, or state plow drivers
- Private winter maintenance contractors and staff
- Those who hire out or supervise winter maintenance professionals
When:
- Wednesday, March 16 Register HERE
- Tuesday, April 12 Register HERE
Visit the MPCA Smart Salting Training website for the training calendar and list of certificate holders.
Don't see a class on the calendar that works for you or have questions about the trainings? Contact us at smartsalting.pca@state.mn.us
*Meet your chloride requirements in the 2020 MS4 permit
The 2020 MS4 General Permit includes new requirements for MS4 permittees aimed at reducing chloride pollution, including:
- Education and outreach about the water quality harm posed by excessive salt use
- Implement a written snow and ice management policy
- Require annual training, for those who perform winter maintenance activities for the permittee, such as staff or those they hire
- Proper deicing salt storage practices
- Additional measures for permittees subject to a chloride waste load allocation (WLA)
If you are an MS4 permittee, one way to meet the new requirements is to have your winter maintenance staff, or those you contract for winter maintenance, attend an appropriate MPCA Smart Salting Certification training class. The trainings touch on the new requirements and offers practical and technical information for better application and maintenance practices, salt storage, policy examples, and resources for community outreach.
Watch the MPCA Smart Salting Training for Winter Maintenance Professionals video to hear from maintenance pros that are now using less salt and still offering a high level of service!
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