CSX response to the “Collaborative Investigation of Coal Dust, Air Pollution, and Heath Concerns in Curtis Bay, South Baltimore, Maryland.”
In response to the “Collaborative Investigation of Coal Dust, Air Pollution, and Heath Concerns in Curtis Bay, South Baltimore, Maryland” by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and local academia, CSX hired third-party experts to perform a critical review of the findings. The third-party experts from RJ Lee Group, Trinity Consultants, and GHD concluded the findings were incomplete and misleading.
The review of the Collaborative Investigation found no evidence to support the conclusion that coal particles from the Terminal have a substantial impact on air quality in the Curtis Bay community. The Collaborative Investigation by MDE and others actually indicates the community is in attainment with the US Environmental Protection Agency National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 and PM10.
CSX is deeply committed to safe and environmentally sound operations at the Curtis Bay Piers facility and value the collaboration with MDE and community leaders. This is reflected in our ongoing efforts to implement environmentally friendly practices and engage with the state agency and local community to address any concerns.
As we move forward, we believe open dialogue is crucial and invite members of the community to engage with us directly. We have developed and shared data from a fence line monitoring system that has been installed to monitor particulate matter along the perimeter of the property. This system can be used to gather real-time data on area conditions.
The full response shared with the Maryland Department of the Environment can be found below.
Response to Community Report Titled: Collaborative Investigation of Coal Dust, Air Pollution, and Health Concerns in Curtis Bay, South Baltimore, Maryland USA, 2022-2023
Review of the Collaborative Investigation report indicates that the findings are incomplete, misleading, and flawed.