(BMP) Manual for Snow and Ice Control
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Maine Environmental Best Management Practices (BMP) Manual for Snow and Ice Control Cost Safety / Service EnvironmentEnvironment Developed in Collaboration by: The Maine Snow and Ice Control Best Practices Working Group Maine Local Roads Center (LTAP) Maine Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) BMP MANUAL VERSION 1.0 Maine Environmental “Best Management Practices” Manual for Snow and Ice Control TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS ......................................................................................................................i INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. ii SECTION 1: IMPACTS OF SNOW AND ICE CONTROL ACTIVITIES ......................................................... 1-1 1.1 Snapshot of the Chloride Issue for Urban Impaired Streams ................................................. 1-2 SECTION 2: ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Cost-Benefit Decisions ............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Liability ................................................................................................................................... 2-2 SECTION 3: ADMINISTRATIVE BMPs ................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Defining a Level-of-Service ..................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Pre-Storm and Post-Storm Meetings ..................................................................................... 3-3 3.3 Weather Forecasting Services ................................................................................................ 3-4 3.4 Automatic Vehicle Location Systems ..................................................................................... 3-5 SECTION 4: SNOW AND ICE CONTROL PRODUCT SELECTION ............................................................. 4-1 4.1 Choosing the Right Treatment Product .................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Salt ................................................................................................................................ 4-2 4.1.2 Sand. ............................................................................................................................ 4-3 4.1.3 Liquid Calcium and Magnesium Chloride ..................................................................... 4-4 4.1.4 Salt Brine ....................................................................................................................... 4-5 4.1.5 Liquid Blends ................................................................................................................. 4-6 4.1.6 Pretreated Salt .............................................................................................................. 4-8 SECTION 5: APPLICATION PROCESSES BMP ...................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Anti-icing and Pretreatment ................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Pre-wetting ............................................................................................................................. 5-2 5.3 Material Pre-wetting Equipment............................................................................................ 5-4 SECTION 6: APPLICATION EQUIPMENT BMPs ................................................................................... 6-1 6.1 Material Spreading Equipment .............................................................................................. 6-1 6.2 Liquid Anti-Icing Application Equipment ................................................................................ 6-2 6.3 Calibration .............................................................................................................................. 6-4 6.4 Temperature Sensors ............................................................................................................. 6-5 SECTION 7: STORAGE, LOADING AND WASHING BMPs ..................................................................... 7-1 7.1 Sand and Salt Storage ............................................................................................................. 7-1 7.2 Loading ................................................................................................................................... 7-2 7.3 Rinsing and Washing .............................................................................................................. 7-3 7.4 Snow Pile Placement .............................................................................................................. 7-5 7.5 Snow Melting Equipment ....................................................................................................... 7-7 7.6 Parking Lots ............................................................................................................................ 7-8 BMP Manual Version 1.0 SECTION 8: LOCATION-SPECIFIC BMPs ............................................................................................. 8-1 8.1 Sidewalks and Building Entrances .......................................................................................... 8-1 APPENDIX A: IMPACTS FROM CHLORIDES ....................................................................................... A-1 Appendix A1 Economic Impacts .................................................................................................... A-1 Appendix A2 Social and Public Safety Impacts ............................................................................. A-4 Appendix A3 Environmental Impacts ............................................................................................ A-5 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................. R-1 BMP Manual Version 1.0 Maine Environmental “Best Management Practices” Manual for Snow and Ice Control CONTRIBUTORS Municipal Contributors State and County Contributors Kevin Austin, City of Portland John Branscom, ME Turnpike Authority Shawn Bennett, Town of Pownal Brian Burne, ME Dept. of Transportation Dana Wardwell, City of Bangor Peter Coughlan, Maine Local Roads Center Robert Burns, Town of Gorham Jeff Dennis, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Guy Casavant, City of Biddeford Melissa Evers, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Dennis Cox, Town of Topsham Kristen Feindel, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Larry Demerchant, City of Presque Isle Erich Kluck, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Dana Fowler, City of Presque Isle David Ladd, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Mike Gladu, Town of Milford David McCaskill, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Wynne Guglielmo, City of Bangor Kate McDonald, Cumberland County SWCD Doug Hill, City of Old Town Peter Merfeld, Maine Turnpike Authority Eric Labelle, City of Portland Tamara Lee Pinard, Cumberland County SWCD Tom Milligan, City of Biddeford Robyn Saunders, Cumberland County SWCD Rob Yerxa, Town of Orono Brian Taddeo, Maine Turnpike Authority Doug Roncarati, City of Portland William Wells, Maine Turnpike Authority Erik Street, Town of Yarmouth Mark Whiting, ME Dept. of Environmental Protection Rob Yerxa, Town of Orono Chip Swan, Town of Hampden Nonprofit & Academic Contributors Consultant Contributors LaMarr Clannon, Maine NEMO Brenda Zollitsch – Working Group Facilitator Karen Hutchins Bieluch, University of Maine Barbara Arter, BSA Consulting Thomas Parr, University of Maine Zachary Henderson, Woodard and Curran John Peckenham, Mitchell Center, UMaine Kristie Rabaska, Integrated Environmental Engineering Lauren Thornborough, University of Maine Phil Ruck, Stillwater Environmental Engineering Luke Finnemore, University of Maine We would also like to thank: Maine Chapter of the American Public Works Association and Representatives from Maine’s Regulated MS4 communities for their review and feedback on the manual and its BMP recommendations BMP Manual i Version 1.0 Introduction The purpose of this manual is to present tools and best practices for snow and ice control, when they should be used, and their limitations. The manual establishes clear and consistent guidelines for municipalities and contractors to achieve an acceptable level of safety balanced with cost and environmental impacts of chlorides and abrasives on Maine’s land and water resources by promoting the understanding of the tools, best practices, and limitations for snow and ice control. The manual will also help snow and ice control professionals increase their understanding of when to use and when not to use these tools and practices. In addition, it encourages progressive changes in snow and ice control practices that will help reduce salt/sand use and environmental impacts while meeting the safety and mobility needs of roadway users. By adopting and following the standards, snow and ice control professionals can show due diligence in their snow removal The Triple Bottom Line: practices. The underlying issues in snow and ice control are public health and safety, This manual provides options for consideration and presents