Bill would bring land-based aquaculture under agriculture building regs
BUCKSPORT—A bill filed last month on behalf of Gov. Janet Mills would exempt land-based aquaculture facilities from certain state building and energy codes, as is afforded to buildings that house livestock or harvested crops.
The bill, LD 1473, was filed on April 14, and aims to bring the land-based aquaculture industry, including Whole Oceans, a land-based Atlantic salmon farm that is currently in the design stages, in line with the agricultural regulations.
The company is revamping the former Verso paper mill site in Bucksport and planned to install several large salmon tanks inside of a metal building on the site. The $180 million project could eventually produce as much as 20,000 metric tons of salmon annually.