Snow has area scrambling for road salt

SUSSEX — The recent wave of snowstorms have area municipalities reacting to salt shortages and coming up with alternative methods of snow removal to stretch the existing supply.

Sussex Mayor Jonathan Rose said the borough has a shared agreement with the Hardyston Department of Public works. Before this last storm, the amounts of salt were extremely low.

Right now, officials are concerned.

Rose also said the borough received a notice from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management saying it was trying to get more salt. The whole state is suffering from a short supply and is now competing with Georgia, which recently has dealt with ice storms, for road salt.

Wantage Township Administrator James Doherty said the township's salt supplies remain at "critically low levels."

Wantage is using the salt as sparingly as possible, balancing the need for public safety with each "immediate storm response" against the need to preserve a supply for the next storm.

So far, supplies are being delivered in small amounts that keep area municipalities going, but they may soon be reduced to spraying grits with salt brine and allow that to be the extent of the storm response.

Doherty said the township was OK for Saturday’s storm and hoped to “limp into [this] week” when another storm is expected.

The Wantage website also encourages people to stay off of the roads as much as possible until the township can get them properly cleared.

"As always, we are hoping for the best and planning for the worst," Doherty said.

Gov. Christie declared a state of emergency during the most recent storms, reiteriating the fact that the recent series of winter sotrms has reduced the supply of salt to critically low levels.