Local Bar Harbor residents voted to cap the number of cruise ship passengers. Now local businesses are suing. The lawsuit, filed on Dec. 29, contends the limit is “draconian and arbitrary.” The cruise ship Maasdam lies docked in Bar Harbor, just off the waterfront, as visitors walk along the scenic Shore Path, Aug. 24, 2017. John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe, File
BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Several waterfront businesses are challenging Bar Harbor’s limit on the number of cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark in the town.
Local voters in November approved a cap of 1,000 passengers per day in the popular tourist destination on Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. That compares to 2,000 to 4,500 passengers who normally disembark daily during the cruise ship season, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit, filed on Dec. 29, contends the limit is “draconian and arbitrary,” violates the constitution and prevents cruise ships and maritime facilities from engaging in federally approved operations.
Town officials expected a lawsuit over the ordinance, which was adopted by town voters who are fed up with congestion.
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A 2021 survey found of town residents found that a majority of respondents viewed cruise ships as having a negative overall impact.
Bar Harbor residents voted to cap the number of cruise ship passengers. Now local businesses are suing.
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