As Rhode Island digs out from the Blizzard of ’26, the Department of Environmental Management is telling cities and towns that — under “extraordinary conditions” — they may dump snow into waterways.
Yes, into the water.
Let’s be clear: under normal conditions, snow is supposed to be stored in upland areas, nowhere near rivers, ponds, wetlands or reservoirs. But when those sites are “exhausted,” the guidance says waterways can be used as a last resort — provided officials call DEM first and follow a list of conditions.
Dispose of snow in open water with “adequate flow.”
Prefer salt water in coastal communities.
Don’t dump in wetlands, eelgrass beds, shellfish areas, drinking water reservoirs or Well Head Protection Areas.
Don’t cause shoreline erosion.
Don’t create a visible sheen.
In other words: go ahead — but don’t make a mess.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: plowed snow isn’t just fluffy white powder. It’s loaded with road salt, sand, oil residue, trash and whatever else has been ground into it by thousands of cars. And now, in a pinch, we’re talking about pushing it into the very bays, coves and rivers that define us.
We are the Ocean State. Our brand, our economy, our identity — all tied to clean water. Shellfishing, tourism, boating, beaches. And yet when things get tight, the fallback plan is to use the water itself as a dumping ground.
DEM stresses this does not constitute a Clean Water Act permit and says it’s unlikely to pursue enforcement if governmental entities follow the conditions in an emergency. Mechanical snow melters are another option — but even those come with a laundry list of restrictions, including filtration requirements and bans on direct discharges into waterbodies.
No one questions the need to clear roads for safety. But how did we get to a point where the solution to too much snow is to threaten our most precious resource?
If we can’t protect the water in the Ocean State, what exactly are we protecting?
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