POSTED: Entire decision by federal judge on cruise ship visitation cap
BAR HARBOR, March 1, 2024 - I am posting U. S. District Court Judge Lance Walker’s decision released this week in favor of “home rule” by Maine towns to impose visitation caps on foreign-flagged cruise ships.
This is one of the most important documents in the history of the town. The 61-page decision is many things: An unvarnished look at how the law applies in such cases from a federal judge unencumbered by local interests; a well-written history of modern Bar Harbor and how it became so tourist-centric; and establishment of the authority of local democracies in the United State as profound.
I would urge you to read Walker’s companion piece, written a year ago, when he allowed citizen petitioner Charles Sidman’s bid to join as an intervenor defendant.
The decision contained some minor errors such as the commonly confused reference to Acadia’s “visitors” instead of “visits,” but it’s a tour de force and speaks for itself.
I will be back next week with a deeper analysis and report on where things might go from here.
Please read and share.
The Quietside Journal
ThankYou Lincoln Millstein for all your investigative reporting on this issue.
OMGosh! ThankYou Charles Sidman for your fortitude and diligence in defense of our town, the environment, and of democracy. Wowza!!! Now we can breathe - literally and figuratively.
ThankYou for Nothing to the corrupt and conniving previous Town Council who colluded with their corrupt and conniving previous Town Manager. Against the people of Bar Harbor and in favor of minority rule and special interests. Many of these miscreants are still on the council. They should not be taking credit for this victory.
Keep in mind. Lance Walker is a Federalist Society jurist fast tracked by LePage and then Trump. And a Mainer who has also protected citizens' RCV voting rights against GOP predation. Walker is the 'black swan' exception to the CharlesKoch/Leonard Leo captured Federal courts. His decisions are always worth reading.
This is such a good news for the sanity of the residents who appreciate walking through their town in the summertime. St John, NB has been building infrastructure to lure more big cruise ships for years, they must be happy too. Tchotchke and Bar Harbor don't go well together IMO.