BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 1, 2023
A Bar Harbor resident who successfully spearheaded a citizen’s referendum to sharply lower the limit on local cruise ship visits has been granted intervenor status in a federal lawsuit over the outcome of that vote. The decision by federal Judge Lance Walker to grant Charles Sidman intervenor status, which will allow Sidman to submit arguments in the lawsuit, is the latest wrinkle in a long-running battle in Bar Harbor over how to manage cruise ship traffic. Some residents and business owners believe cruise ship visits provide a crucial economic benefit to the town, but others have become increasingly critical, saying that summertime throngs of cruise ship passengers hurt the local quality of life.