AASHTO Journal, 16 October 2015
As Ohio cities and the state Department of Transportation prepare to load up on rock salt to help keep roads cleared in the next winter season, they are also tapping millions in extra funds from a June overcharge settlement over prices levied in past years by two major salt suppliers.
That could help many replenish low material supplies and strapped budgets, after the winter of 2014-15 saw rocketing prices for rock salt in most parts of the country amid shortages after a series of harsh winters depleted stockpiles. With North American suppliers hard-pressed to meet demand, some states imported salt from abroad.
While problems of tight supplies and how vendors were pricing their road salt had been percolating for years, the recent spate of very icy winters brought new attention to the issue.
In Ohio, Attorney General Mike DeWine pursued allegations that big suppliers had been conspiring to set prices for the critical ice-melting commodity.
DeWine on June 5 had announced an $11.5 million settlement with Morton Salt and Cargill that covered purchases by public entities between July 2008 and June 2011. He said the state would share the settlement funds with local and state road-clearing agencies, which had until Aug. 21 to submit claims.
This month DeWine has announced his office is sending 850 checks to public agencies across the state, which include a total of $6.8 million for local governments, $1.7 million for ODOT – as the single largest rock salt buyer – plus $174,435 for the turnpike authority and other money for the state antitrust fund.
Here is a list of the amounts distributed to other agencies.
