The first gubernatorial candidate to take a position on the CSX rail transfer project at Morrell Park has spoken up – it’s Democrat Heather R. Mizeur and she says she’s against it.

“She’s going to be in Morrell Park on Saturday and she’s going to be standing with the community,” Steven Hershkowitz, a spokesman for the Mizeur campaign, said.

Mizeur plans to meet with residents who have been opposing the 24-hour, 30 to 40 trucks-per-hour rail facility that they say will cause traffic, noise, pollution and other problems in their residential area.

(Tomorrow’s meeting is from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s United Church of Christ, 1805 Wickes Avenue.)

Also present will be representatives from nearby Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods, said Rob LaPin who lives in Ridgley’s Delight and is running for the House of Delegates in the 40th District.

LaPin, who has been working with local residents, said he contacted all the gubernatorial candidates in advance of the community’s December meeting and received responses only from staffers for Mizeur and Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.

Both camps sent representatives to the meeting, but subsequent communication with the Gansler organization “petered out,” LaPin said.

LaPin said the community has had no response from Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown or the Republican candidates.

Powerful Proponents

For months residents have been rallying against the $90 million transfer yard, which was switched to their community after several sites in more affluent suburban Maryland areas were considered and dropped.

Supporters of the project include Gov. Martin O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as well as CSX and the Port of Baltimore.

(The mayor has sent mixed signals on the project recently, touting it one minute during a tour of the Panama Canal with Vice President Joe Biden, then hedging after her return to Baltimore, declaring that “everything is on the table” and adding she wouldn’t be “shoving [the project] down the throats. . . of Morrell Park.”)

State  officials say the facility is needed so the port can take better advantage of an expanded Panama Canal.

The project calls for tractor trailers from the port to bring sealed containers to the facility, where they would be “doublestacked” onto freight trains.

The transfer is necessary because CSX’s Howard Street tunnel through Baltimore is too low to accommodate doublestack trains.

But opponents, who have collected nearly 1,000 signatures and plastered the community with signs that say, “Don’t get railroaded, Stop CSX,” have been rallying some big names to their cause.

They have lined up City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young and Vice President Councilman Edward Reisinger as well as State Senator Verna L. Jones-Rodwell (44th District).

Along with those elected officials, a spokesman from St. Agnes Hospital came to the community’s last meeting at the American Legion Hall and pledged to oppose the railyard.