Company Required to Construct Windscreen to Limit Dust
BALTIMORE (July 29, 2025) – The Maryland Department of the Environment today issued a new operating permit for the CSX Transportation coal facility in Curtis Bay. The new permit is one of the most stringent in state history, requiring additional measures to control dust and protect the community.
“We are holding CSX to a higher standard by requiring an enclosure to control dust — a critical step to protect the health of the surrounding community,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. “This is the most protective permit ever issued for this site, reflecting our commitment to environmental justice. We will continue bringing all voices to the table to uphold public health.”
The permit replaces an Air Quality State Permit to Operate issued in 2018. Under the new permit, CSX has 120 days to submit a design to construct a wind screen to minimize dust from leaving the site.
CSX Transportation operates the coal, ore, limestone, and other dry material storage, transfer and shipment terminal in Curtis Bay. The facility is licensed to operate an interstate rail network and export facility under federal law, including permission to transport and export coal. The state does not have authority to shut the facility down, but does have the authority to require the facility to control pollution.
Additional protections in the new permit include:
- Construct a windscreen structure to minimize coal dust from reaching the community. The structure will surround the coal storage piles and be taller than the piles.
- Install improved water spraying equipment at coal railcar unloading operations.
The permit is the result of an extensive public engagement process that incorporated the findings of community-driven science demonstrating that additional measures are necessary to control coal dust leaving the facility. The department also held a 90-day public comment period for the permit that was not required by law and reviewed thousands of pages of input from hundreds of commenters.
Additional information is available on the department’s website.
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