2026 Conference Agenda & Presentations

Reggie Poussard, City of Lewistion, ME

Lewiston's 5-year transition to salt brine for winter operations, achieving 56% reduction in salt usage per storm with weather cams and calibrated equipment.

Pete Carney, Long Creek Watershed Management District

Monitoring data collected by the Long Creek Watershed Management District (“LCWMD”) over the past fifteen years reflects that chloride levels in Long Creek often exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s aquatic life criteria thresholds.

Elevated chloride levels can adversely impact the growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms such as macroinvertebrates and fish. Chloride concentrations are often elevated in urban streams due to the application of road salt for deicing during winter months. 

Since 2021, LCWMD has worked with its consultant, WIT advisers, to implement the Sustainable Winter Management (SWiM®) program in the Long Creek watershed. SWiM® is a winter weather management program based on a set of standards designed to improve snow and ice management in parking lots, roads, and pedestrian walkways, while minimizing environmental impact and cost. SWiM® focuses on reducing salt usage, improving efficiency, and implementing standards of practice for snow and ice management operations. SWiM® is an alternative to traditional winter management methods that prioritizes incentives for efficiency which enable positive environmental impacts and cost-control.

Cindy Dionne, Maine DOT

MaineDOT partnered with the Swedish firm Klimator in Region 4 to pilot a AI‑driven, segment‑specific salt application guidance modeled after Scandinavian practices that have achieved roughly a 30% reduction in salt use. At the same time, Stormwater Program staff inspected 13 salt sheds across four regions and paired their findings with sensitive‑receptor data to identify where facility upgrades would have the greatest environmental benefit.