Transcript TRB Canada Presentation - American Association of

Balancing Winter
Transportation Safety Needs
and Environmental Priorities:
The Canadian Experience
Panelists: Sandi Moser, Environment Canada; Sarah
Wells, Transportation Association of Canada; Shael
Gwartz, Ontario Ministry of Transportation; Gary Welsh,
City of Toronto; Dick Hanneman, Salt Institute; moderator:
Wilf Nixon, University of Iowa
Today’s Presentation
• Organization Perspectives
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Sandi Moser, Environment Canada
Sarah Wells, Transportation Association of Canada
Shael Gwartz, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Gary Welsh, City of Toronto
Dick Hanneman, Salt Institute
• Lessons Learned
• General Discussion and Questions
National Perspective
Sandi Moser
Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Perspective
Canadian Environmental Protection Act,
1999 (CEPA)
• Administered by Minister of Environment and
Minister of Health
• Requirements
– Establish Priority Substances List (PSL)
– Assess substances on PSL
– For substances that meet the criteria of “toxic” (s.64 of
CEPA), propose risk management instrument(s)
within 2 years
– Finalize instrument(s) within 18 months
Environment Canada
Perspective
What are road salts?
• Salts applied to roadways for maintenance such
as deicing, anti-icing and dust suppression
• Substances assessed include:
– Inorganic chloride salts (NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, MgCl2)
– Sodium ferrocyanide (anti-caking additive)
Environment Canada
Perspective
History – Risk Assessment
• Ministers’ Expert Advisory Panel recommended
25 substances (including road salts) be
assessed under PSL2
• Environmental Resource Group (ERG) prepared
supporting documentation for assessment
– ERG members from federal and provincial
governments, academia, consulting firms and industry
• Draft assessment report published Aug 12, 2000
for public comment
• Final assessment report published Dec 1, 2001
Environment Canada
Perspective
History – Environmental Effects
• Wide range of impacts on:
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Freshwater ecosystems (groundwater/surface water)
Soil
Vegetation
Wildlife
• EC determined that in high concentrations, road
salts pose a risk to plants, animals and the
aquatic environment
Environment Canada
Perspective
History – Risk Management (RM)
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Developed RM strategy
Consulted on RM objectives & instruments
Developed instrument (Code of Practice)
Published Code in Canada Gazette for 60-day
comment period on Sept 20, 2003 (as required
by CEPA)
• Currently revising proposed Code
Environment Canada
Perspective
Next Steps
• Winter 2004
– Finalize Code
– Work with stakeholders on implementation and
promotion aspects
• Spring 2004 (tentative)
– Publish final Code of Practice
• Winter 2005-2006
– Implementation of the Code
• Spring 2009
– Review Progress
Environment Canada
Perspective
Consultation – Multi-stakeholder Working
Group
• Formed in March 2002
• 80 participants from road authorities,
environmental groups, salt producers, federal
and provincial governments and associations
• Purpose – Review and comment on materials,
share information, transfer technology and ideas
and develop a common approach to addressing
environmental issues related to road salts
• 6 meetings since April 2002
Environment Canada
Perspective
Risk Management Instrument
• From the beginning
– Did NOT consider banning road salts
– Did consider environmental risks, road safety,
economical, technological and other issues
• Overall objective
– To ensure environmental protection while
maintaining road safety
Environment Canada
Perspective
Code of Practice
• Main recommendations:
– Prepare and implement salt management plan
– Reflect best management practices in SMP,
particularly in salt storage and application and snow
disposal
• Nothing in the Code should be construed as a
recommendation to take action to the detriment
of road safety
National Perspective
Sarah Wells
Transportation Association of Canada
National Perspective
• TAC: national association of transportation
stakeholders
– TAC ~ AASHTO
– Private and public sector members (federal,
provincial, municipal agencies)
– Neutral forum
– Promotes the provision of safe, efficient,
effective, sustainable (environmentally and
financially) transportation system and services
National Perspective
• TAC Involvement in Salt Management
– Publish
– Pilot
– Participate
– Partner
– Prepare
National Perspective
TAC involvement in salt management
• Publish Salt Management Guide (1999)
– Comprehensive reference guide on road salt
management practices
– Primer on Road Salt and Snow and Ice
Control
– Seven focused “codes” of practice
– Endorsed by Chief Engineers’ Council and
Environment Council
National Perspective
TAC involvement in salt management
• Pilot national road salt management
working group
– Monitor Environment Canada assessment
– Develop action plan to address needs of road
authorities re road salt management
– Develop framework for salt management
plans
– Develop communications plan
National Perspective
TAC involvement in salt management
• Participate in Environment Canada’s
Working Group
– Acted as observer
– Diverse viewpoints of federal, provincial,
municipal members
– Encouraged participation of interested,
individual members
– Monitored expected use of existing TAC
documents in process
National Perspective
TAC involvement in salt management
• Partner with stakeholders to update
Syntheses of Best Practices for Salt
Management (2003)
– Federal, provincial, municipal members,
Environment Canada and Salt Institute
– Nine new and revised syntheses of best
practice referenced in EC Code of Practice
– See Reading Room at www.tac-atc.ca
National Perspective
TAC involvement in salt management
• Prepare road maintainers, managers for
new practices
– Training available
• On-line course on salt management guide
• On-site courses available
– More coming soon
• RSMS Learning Guide free on TAC web site
• Webinar sessions
Provincial Perspective
Shael Gwartz
Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Provincial Perspective
• 10 Provinces, 2 territories
• 2.1 million tonnes/year used on highways
under provincial control
– 45% of total road salt used in Canada
• Wide variation in salt use across Canada
• Duty to balance road safety and
environmental stewardship
Provincial Perspective
• Focus on:
– Continuous improvement
– Best Practices rather than salt reduction
targets
– Voluntary rather than regulatory approach
– Balancing safety and environmental
protection
– Working collaboratively with others
Ontario Perspective
• Salt Management initiatives
– Search for alternatives since 1970s
– Initiation of demonstration site (1995)
• Development and testing of new materials,
methods and technologies (ongoing)
– Fostering implementation of best
management practices
Ontario Perspective
• Cooperative Efforts
– Participation on Environmental Resource Group
• (open and transparent information sharing)
– TAC Salt Management Guide development
(1999)
– Participation in the TAC and EC Working Groups
– Ontario ministries working group
– Participation in Ontario’s municipal salt working
group
– Partnerships with municipalities on sharing RWIS
data
City of Toronto Perspective
Gary Welsh
City of Toronto
City of Toronto Perspective
• Population
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2.6 Million
• Snowfall
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50 inches/year
• Salt Used
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155,000 tons/year
• De-Icing Events
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40 to 50 times/year
City of Toronto Perspective
Political/Environmental Pressures
• In 2001, Canadian Municipalities concerned with
Environment Canada’s consideration of listing
road salts under CEPA
• Toronto Councillors suggesting de-icing methods
should change
• Environmental groups holding media events
stating the City uses too much salt
City of Toronto Perspective
Pro-active versus Re-active
• could wait for Environment Canada to mandate
changes
• could wait for politicians to dictate changes
• could wait for a possible no salt policy on City
roads
OR
be pro-active to determine strategy instead of
being told what to do
City of Toronto Perspective
Toronto staff initiatives
• involved with Environment Canada and other
technical organizations (TAC) to help to
determine how road salts were to be used in the
future
• make Toronto a leader in salt management
instead of being perceived as lagging behind
• developed a comprehensive salt management
plan
• formed a salt management working group with
other municipalities and the province
City of Toronto Perspective
Salt Management Plan
• to optimize the use of de-icers on Toronto’s
roads while striving to minimize impacts to the
environment
• objectives for:
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level of service
equipment technology
materials/storage
training
winter operations administration
City of Toronto Perspective
Salt Management Plan - Implementation
• would be based on TAC’s Salt Management
Guide
• would require staff to significantly change
methods of operation
• would be completed within 8 months
(November 2001)
• would need several years to fully meet objectives
City of Toronto Perspective
Salt Management Plan - Results
• reduced salt usage by 15%
• achieved over $2 Million CDN savings
• funding made available for
new equipment/storage improvements
• new training program developed
• compliments from politicians, environmental
groups
Salt Industry Perspective
Richard L. Hanneman
Salt Institute
Salt Industry Perspective
• Expert Panel, 1995
• EC gets organized, 1995-1997
• Assessing “road salts” 1997-2000
– Scientific process and issues: the battle of the
scientists
– Salt as poison: the battle of public relations
• CEPA public consultation
Salt Industry Perspective
(continued)
• The salt industry’s commitment to
environmentally-sensitive salt management
– Sensible Salting 1972 – present
– Sensible Salting Seminars 1972 – 1998
– Excellence in Storage awards 1988 – present
– Partnership with National LTAPs 2001–present
– Developing TAC’s Salt Management Guide
– Stakeholder in EC working group 2001–present
– Training Canadian snowfighters: OGRA, TAC
Lessons Learned
Environment Canada
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Establish clear goals, process and work plan
Outline expectations
Describe how input/comments will be used
Listen to stakeholders
Take advantage of existing resources and
new partnerships
• Begin with issues that have consensus
• Start early
Lessons Learned
Transportation Association of Canada
• Communicate
• Respect jurisdiction
• Recognize responsibility
• Work together
Lessons Learned
Provinces
• Collaborate rather than oppose
– Establish common goals and understand implications
– Participate in consultative process
– Promote understanding of initiatives that address
concerns of others
– Share information (internally and externally)
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Proactive rather than reactive
Coordinate approaches
Continuous improvement
Focus on succeeding
Lessons Learned
City of Toronto
• A pro-active agency can be influential in
overall process
• Road de-icing operations in many
municipalities need to be reviewed and
updated
• Sometimes change will only occur if there is
a threat of someone else making decision
• There is a great deal to learn from other
organizations in the various working groups
Lessons Learned
City of Toronto
(continued)
• An organization needs a champion
• Support needed from senior management,
elected officials, and even the media
• Road safety does not have to be
compromised
• Savings can be achieved
Lessons Learned
Salt Industry
• It’s politics, not science. Regrettably, the
process is more political than scientific: don’t be
lulled into thinking science is enough
• Start early: We failed to mobilize salt customers,
convincing them until nearly too late of the threat
• Start with the end in mind: in this case, better
salt management. Solve the problem first,
before the politics
General Discussion