The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March caused some environmental advocates to worry about potential impacts on marine life and ecosystem of the Patapsco River.

But concerns surrounding pollution and environmental hazards near the port predate the bridge collapse. Communities near Baltimore's port have long expressed concerns about pollution in their neighborhoods.

Dr. Sacoby Wilson is an environmental justice advocate who oversees projects in Curtis Bay and Turner Station, two neighborhoods near the port.

Wilson is a Professor with the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Maryland, College Park School of Public Health.

He is also the director of the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH), and the host of My Block Counts, a podcast that explores the environmental issues that impact Maryland. The podcast is produced in cooperation with WYPR.

(Photo by Kristen Mosbrucker, WYPR)

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