What’s happening?
Many residents in North Baltimore’s Govans neighborhood—and their neighbors on the west side of York Road—are outraged by Vaughn Greene Funeral Services’ plan to put a crematorium with a proposed 40-foot tall smokestack within 200 feet of their community.
They are most concerned about poor air quality that could lead to asthma, COPD, lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as the crematorium would emit 2.28 pounds of sulfur dioxide, 3.74 pounds of nitrogen oxides, 4.9 pounds of particulate matter, and 3.09 pounds of carbon monoxide on a daily basis, according to the Baltimore Brew.
How is the funeral home responding to the opposition?
On behalf of Vaughn Greene, Carla Kinslow—the director of toxicology and food safety for Rimkus Consulting Group—said the incinerator’s emissions are legally acceptable although the opposition pointed out that the firm is going by standards that are under review by the EPA.
Anything else I should know?
The zoning board has another public meeting about the crematorium scheduled for September 16.
You can read more here.
