World Asthma Day: A Missed Opportunity to Help Maryland Communities
Today on World Asthma Day, we reflect on a missed opportunity from this year’s legislative session that could have made a beneficial difference for communities affected by coal dust pollution along coal rail lines. The Coal Dust Cleanup and Asthma Remediation Act (HB 1088), sponsored by Delegate Dana Stein, would have funding climate programs and assist communities along coal rail lines, with 40% of the funding specifically supporting overburdened and underserved areas impacted by coal transport. Additionally, the bill allocated $5 million a year to asthma treatment programs for people suffering from asthma living near the coal rail lines.
“Coal dust blows from uncovered rail cars, filling the air and leaving a film of black dust on cars, houses, and playgrounds, and worse, people breathe in this dust,” said Delegate Dana Stein. “The Coal Dust Cleanup Act would have provided much needed funding for asthma treatment in communities that have for decades been negatively impacted by coal transport.”
While this legislation didn’t pass in 2025, Maryland LCV looks forward to working with Delegate Stein on this issue during the next legislative session. Maryland must remain committed to addressing environmental health disparities and supporting policies that protect our most vulnerable communities. Clean air shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be a right for every Marylander.