WEBSTER, N.Y. – Private snowplow contractors say their supply of salt has been cut off this week, affecting their ability to salt parking lots where thousands of people walk and drive, including hospitals, malls, and the airport.

News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean met with one contractor, Tony Zucco, at his salt barn in Webster, which is now only half full.

Zucco says his supplier told him that his deliveries this week aren’t coming and to look for salt somewhere else.

“I average about 1000 ton a year. And you don’t just pick up, there’s just not a local store you can go pick up 500 or 800 or a ton. That’s just not how it works,” Zucco explained.

Zucco manages a salting operation for parking lots all along the 104 corridor, including the Town Center Plaza in Webster. His salt barn is half full, and he’s sourcing minimal amounts locally, but once that runs out, he’ll be left with what’s in the barn.

Berkeley Brean, News10NBC: “Is this all you have left for the season?”

Tony Zucco: “As of right now we are sourcing minimal amounts locally but once that runs out, this would be it.”

Berkeley Brean: “And is that enough?”

Tony Zucco: “No. We are just in the middle of the season. This is the second week of January. We could burn through half of this this weekend.”

Brean spoke with Milton Rents, the middleman supplier where most contractors get their salt. The company told him they’ve got an “inventory problem with American Rock Salt,” the largest salt producing mine in the country based in Mt. Morris. Milton Rents say they’re “doing the best we can to allocate the supply we have to our customers.”

One of the managers said this is a “day-to-day” thing they’re dealing with.

Berkeley Brean: “Do you think that means you’re not getting a delivery this week or you’re not getting a delivery for the foreseeable future?”

Tony Zucco: “Foreseeable future. I’m one of probably hundreds of contractors so once that starts to happen with everybody, it is going to be very very hard to get bulk material.”

Berkeley Brean: “Did you get any explanation as to why this is happening?”

Tony Zucco: “I’m just told right now that my bulk material that I have scheduled that was supposed to be here is not coming.”

Brean: “Does this kind of situation keep you up at night?”

Tony: “I’m nervous. Yeah, I’m really nervous.”

American Rock Salt provided this statement to News10NBC:

“Our priority is public safety. Our union miners are working hard to provide lifesaving salt to our communities. The magnitude of this year’s early storms obviously has caused some challenges. We work very hard to not have anyone run out of our product and will continue to do so as the winter continues.”

Zucco says if the weather stays the way it has been, what he’s got in his garage will last maybe two weeks.

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