Baltimore-Washington Rail Intermodal Facility HIA

This HIA determined the impacts of the proposed Baltimore-Washington Rail Intermodal Facility at CSX’s existing Mount Clare Yard in southwest Baltimore City. The facility would transfer freight cargo between trains and trucks, and operate twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. The facility poses potential health concerns that include air and noise pollution and substantial increases in local truck traffic leading to safety risks. Its construction and operation may also benefit health by creating local jobs and generating community tax revenue that supports services essential to health. The communities surrounding the site have a higher proportion of people of color than the rest of the state and suffer from disproportionate rates of infant mortality, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes-related deaths.

The report recommended that CSX pay Baltimore a facility regulatory and site infrastructure fee to partially offset potential negative impacts on access to neighborhood resources. The report also highlighted the need to assess and monitor the facility’s projected impacts on air quality and urged continued engagement with the community in decision-making and priority-setting for the community improvements that CSX plans to make with project funds.