Nordic Aquafarms is suing the city of Belfast over its recent decision to reverse the use of eminent domain that had been meant to help the company develop a land-based salmon farm in the community.
The city council had voted to use eminent domain in 2021 to secure access to a contested section of mudflat where Nordic hoped to bury intake and discharge pipes running from the facility to Penobscot Bay.
But councilors formally vacated that decision earlier this month, after the project faced years of pushback and legal challenges from Belfast-area residents. Courts have found — in part — that the city relied on a defunct survey of its municipal boundary in its eminent domain action, meaning some of the taken land could be in the town of Northport.
In its lawsuit, which is dated May 16, Nordic argued that Belfast should have worked to confirm its border before vacating the eminent domain action.
Nordic also claimed that the eminent domain can’t be revoked, and that its planned use of the land doesn’t violate restrictions in its deeds.
An attorney for Belfast, Kristin Collins, said the city hasn’t been served with the lawsuit and declined to comment.
BDN writer Charlie Eichacker contributed reporting.
