Health Officials Engage Communities in Freight Project Study

Traffic, natural resources and loss of jobs were the major concerns Beltsville residents raised during a meeting Monday about a proposed freight facility project and its impact on their health. 

In particular, residents mentioned the desire to protect a unique part of their world: the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), with its open space that has shaped the area's low-density development and infrastructure.

CSX and Maryland Department of Transportation are currently proposing an  at four sites, including one within BARC, where trains and up to 900 trucks a day would swap cargo, and containers could be double-stacked on trains via electric cranes.

The March 19 workshop in Beltsville was the second of three forums the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) is conducting as part of a  to gauge the potential health impacts of the intermodal in the three counties where transportation officials are considering building it: Prince George's, Howard and Anne Arundel.

NCHH  last week. The  is Wednesday, March 21, at the  from 6:30–8 p.m.

Things to know about NCHH and its study:

• NCHH is independent of the government and intermodal project sponsors.
• Its assessment will incorporate interviews and focus groups plus quantitative data.
• NCHH said it became involved in the project because "residents were concerned."
• The Greater Elkridge Community Association wrote a letter to NCHH in support of the study.
• NCHH's executive director is on the Howard County Environmental Sustainability Board; however, the sustainability board is not involved in this study.