A judge has sided with the town of Bar Harbor in a long running battle against cruise ship overtourism.
U.S. District Judge Lance Walker ruled that Bar Harbor had the legal right to place a daily cruise passenger cap.
In 2022 voters passed a referendum putting a 1,000-passenger limit per day.
A group of local business owners sued the town, claiming it was unconstitutional.
The judge found this wasn’t the case and didn’t violate any state laws.
“Congestion in downtown Bar Harbor is a seasonal fact of life, but it is exacerbated by the regular morning and afternoon pulse of cruise ship passengers and the tour buses,” Judge Walker wrote in the ruling.
“The 1,000-person limitation is a significant downshift from the passenger caps previously observed in Bar Harbor. But that downshift also promotes noneconomic interests.”
Bar Harbor is one of Maine’s biggest cruise ports.
Around 272,000 passengers visited the port in 2022.
A survey conducted by Pan Atlantic Research three years ago found more than half of residents said cruise ships negatively impacted the town.
