Town of Orangetown Wins National Safe and Sustainable Snowfighting Award

The Town of Orangetown has won a 2013 Safe and Sustainable Snowfighting award from the Salt Institute for excellence in environmental consciousness and effective management in the storage of winter road salt.

Clear winter roads protect lives and commerce. Every winter, more than 116,000 Americans are injured and over 1,300 killed as a result of pavement that is snow, slush or ice covered, according to the federal government. But a study of highways in Snow Belt states showed that road salt reduces crashes by 88 percent.

When the direct and indirect impact of road shutdowns on the broader economy is factored in, road salt becomes even more valuable. A one-day major snowstorm can cost a state $300-$700 million in direct and indirect costs, lost commerce and productivity. In fact, deicing pays for itself within the first 25 minutes after the salt is spread—making proper salt storage and timely deicing a smart investment.

Only 90 local agencies in the U.S. and Canada received this recognition, including 9 new recipients. A complete list by state is available from the Salt Institute.