What: Local Citizens for Smart Growth Press Conference followed by Public Hearing
When: Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Troy Howard Middle School, 173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast, ME
Why: To discuss the lawsuit against Belfast, and plans for Nordic Aquafarms factory farm
Dear Supporter,
On July 11, Local Citizens for Smart Growth members Ellie Daniels and Donna Broderick sued the City of Belfast, alleging that the Belfast City Council abused its powers by approving amendments to the town zoning and comprehensive plan without following state statute and local zoning ordinance process for planning board and community involvement.
State law requires that the Planning Board engage in a community-wide planning process before amending the Belfast Comprehensive Plan or the zoning ordinance.
The amendments were made in order to approve a 40-acre land-based salmon factory farm that Norway-based Nordic Aquafarms wants to build in Belfast.
Now the city council is asking the Belfast Planning Board to rubber-stamp the council’s abuse of authority by conducting an after-the-fact review and recommendation of the zoning amendments that the Council already approved on April 17. The Council is also asking the Planning Board to amend Belfast’s zoning ordinance to eliminate the requirement that the Planning Board review zoning amendments proposed by the Council.
Please attend the Belfast Public Hearing on Wednesday, August 15, 6 p.m. Local Citizens for Smart Growth will hold a press conference at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the project and their lawsuit. Both events will take place at Troy Howard Middle School, 173 Lincolnville Ave., Belfast, ME.
Nordic Aquafarms has conducted a huge public relations push, claiming among other things that the company’s proposed project is “sustainable.”
But this is a factory farm, plain and simple. And allowing foreign corporations to extract Maine’s natural resources, deforest its land and pollute its waterways—only to produce a toxic factory farm product—is an issue that affects all Mainers, not just those who live in Belfast.
That’s why it’s important to turn out as many people as possible for Wednesday’s press conference and public hearing.
Organic Consumers Association supports the local Belfast citizens’ effort to put the brakes on this project. We encourage local officials to explore alternative businesses that are ecologically, economically and socially better for Belfast and the surrounding region.
Want to help keep Nordic Aquafarms (NAF) factory farm out of Maine? Sign up here! We need help with community and media outreach, fundraising, coalition-building, event-planning and more. You don’t need to live in Belfast to help organize against this project.
Here are some other actions to take:
Read this article about the project
Like and follow the Local Citizens for SMART Growth: Salmon Farm on Facebook to keep up with news and events
Contact Nordic Aquafarms CEO Erik Heim to express your concerns: erik.heim@nordicaquafarms.com
Thanks!
Katherine, for the OCA team
P.S. OCA is committed to fighting factory farms, including the salmon farm in Belfast. We are committing resources to this fight, including toward potential legal action. If you would like to support this campaign, please make a generous donation today, either online, by phone or by mail, details here.