Curtis Bay residents press MDE to reject CSX coal terminal's operating permit over health concerns

BALTIMORE -- Curtis Bay residents want the Maryland Department of the Environment to reject the operating permit for the CSX Transportation Coal Export Terminal, citing health, economic and environmental justice concerns. 

At a community meeting on Thursday, residents argued they want to live without the constant presence of coal dust from the nearby coal terminal.

"They're not opening their windows. They're afraid to let their kids go outside," said Shashawnda Campbell. "There are so many upper respiratory issues here."

The Maryland Department of the Environment is preparing to renew the facility's air quality permit to operate after it expired last year. 

"Giving them another permit is to say that we do not care, it is to say that we do not care about the harm that it's caused," Campbell said. "Because they have paid out in fines and they have done the same thing."

Terms of draft renewal permit

MDE's draft renewal permit for CSX includes requirements like building a physical barrier to prevent coal dust from reaching the community and installing a system to water down the rail cars loaded with coal when they enter the facility.

This draft permit would be the strictest permit for CXS to date, according to MDE.

"That is not enough," Campbell said.

MDE can't shut down operations

Aneca Atkinson, MDE's Assistant Secretary of Environmental Justice, says the department can enforce these restrictions with fines and potentially litigation, but does not have the authority to shut down operations.

"What we can say is that you can't cause a nuisance or cause and contribute to problems in the community and we can write the permit in a way that restricts that ability," Atkinson said.

If MDE were to reject this permit, CSX can still continue to operate as they are a federally regulated facility.

Coal dust explosion settlement

Last month, CSX settled a class action lawsuit for $1.75 million after a coal dust explosion at the plant rocked the Curtis Bay community in 2021. CSX was also fined by MDE and ordered to take a series of corrective actions. 

At the hearing, CSX representative Brian Hammock talked about ongoing efforts at the facility to minimize coal dust pollution.

"In the past 18 months, for example, we've upgraded the water suppression system to include the atomized mist technology," Hammock said.

But Curtis Bay residents claim CSX is still releasing significant amounts of hazardous coal dust into the community.

"Nothing has changed," said resident David Jones.