The Town of Parma is facing a road salt shortage as harsh winter weather continues to hit the area. Jim Christ, the town’s highway superintendent, expressed frustration over the dwindling supply and delivery delays. “There is probably 100 tons there, not even.
That’s about it,” Christ said, noting that the salt barn, which typically holds about 5,000 tons, is nearly empty. “I usually keep it at 1,000 at least up to a minimum, but when you go to order salt, we’re lucky if we get 150, 200 tons,” Christ explained. “This past week, we were out.”
The New York State Office of General Services is assisting with delivery delays.
When asked when Parma expects another delivery, Christ replied, “I have no idea.”
Other towns, such as Canandaigua and Victor, are experiencing similar issues.
Parma’s dwindling salt supply crisis
In response to claims that American Rock Salt had inquired about purchasing salt from them last fall, the company stated that no one could have anticipated how harsh the winter would be.
“This is an average winter for us, to be honest with you, but once again, with no salt, it makes a very tough job, so we do the best we can with what we have,” Christ added. Cargill’s Cayuga Salt Mine in Lansing is also working to meet the increased demand for salt due to the influx of winter weather across the state. One point of controversy came from Apalachee, a NYS-based business, which stated that they partner with many local workers and are not taking advantage of the shortage.
Apalachee asserted that they have been bidding on delivery requests where others have fallen short. The miners are working seven days a week to meet public safety needs and will continue to do so until the crisis is over. As the harsh winter continues, Parma and other affected towns are left to navigate these challenging times with the resources they have on hand.