HENRIETTA, N.Y. — Rock salt prices are going up as winter begins to pick up in Rochester.
News10NBC’s Berkeley Brean went out to PJ Leccese’s salt barn at THM Property Maintenance near Kodak Park, and there wasn’t much salt left from what Leccese ordered two weeks ago.
“It’s all we’ve got left right now, yep,” Leccese said.
Why the shortage?
Part of the problem is the early winter. Leccese says he’s already a month ahead of his regular salt use. And, the orders placed last week just got cancelled.
“How does it get like this,” Berk asked.
“I have no idea. We ordered it last Tuesday and last Wednesday for two loads, and they turned around and said. ‘Okay, it’s ordered.’ And then they Friday they called and said, ‘Nope, it’s been cancelled,’” Leccese added.
THM Property Maintenance gets its salt from American Rock Salt in Mount Morris. Leccese showed Berk a text message he got from the middleman he orders from.
It says, “No dump trucks or trailers will be loaded.”
The towns are still stocked, and their costs are stable.
Prices going up?
The negotiated price per ton in Monroe County is $65 per ton. For instance, Penfield’s snow removal budget went up $64,000 from last year, Webster’s budget went down $20,000, and Chili’s went down $10,000.
Leccese went on to say, “Alright, this is a salt issue.”
Contractors like Leccese recently learned their cost per ton is going up $25.
Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “What does $25 a ton do to you?”
Leccese: “We go through 30 tons in three weeks. Two to three weeks. So it’s a big nut, and last year we didn’t charge our customers, but we don’t know what to do this year. We took the hit last year.”
The going rate for contractors is $70-$80 a ton. At this point last year, it reached $180 dollars. For Leccese, an extra $25 a ton is about $800 an order.
Berk reached out to American Rock Salt and its PR firm for a comment, but they didn’t respond.
More of News10NBC’s coverage
Municipalities dealt with salt shortages last winter, too. It got so bad, that private salt contractors told us their supply was cut off the week of Jan. 9, 2025.
- Local contractor secures road salt supply early to avoid last winter’s shortage
- ‘I’m really nervous’: Local snowplow contractor says salt deliveries cut off, affecting ability to salt crucial parking lots
- While some towns near Buffalo warn of salt shortages, Irondequoit says it has enough to last
- Mayor Evans says city has enough salt for now, despite supply chain issues
- New York State aims to reduce road salt usage with improved tactics and liquid brine
- Henrietta town supervisor concerned as salt shortage hits area, rationing considered
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