Even though the snow has stopped falling, plows continue to work around the clock. Among the pressing questions: where to put all the snow, and how to move more of it faster?
Plows are still out on the Massachusetts Turnpike, where the speed limit is still restricted to 40 miles per hour. The Mass Emergency Management Agency is working with other state officials to decide where to put all the snow. MEMA spokesman Peter Judge says the Department of Environmental protection is now involved, and acknowledges that cities and towns may need to take emergency measures to remove snow.
“As a rule the state is not involved in helping clean up after a snow storm," Judge said. "That’s the local responsibility. But these things have moved out of that realm already. So now moving snow is a public safety issue as much as cosmetically getting everything back up and ready.”
If snow lots and gravel pits are full, snow must be disposed in flowing, open water to prevent ice dams from forming. Snow cannot be disposed in vegetated wetlands, certified vernal pools or drinking water reservoirs. Communities must also consult with their conservation commission and the DEP prior to disposing snow in water.
The state is looking across borders to bring in more snow removal equipment, Judge said.
“We received the state of emergency, the main purpose of that was to allow us now to do outreach to other states for equipment, part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC, which all 50 states are member partners,” he said.
Judge says MEMA is negotiating with other states over the timing and cost of using equipment.
“What we’ve reached out for are 50 each of front end loaders, 6-wheel dumptrucks, backhoes and Bobcats,” he said.
