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South Portland's Legal Fees Top $1M in Pipeline Lawsuit

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine - South Portland's legal fees in an ongoing federal lawsuit topped $1 million in December and are expected to rise as city officials prepare for a possible trial.
 
Portland Pipe Line Corp. filed a lawsuit in 2015 that challenged the city's Clear Skies ordinance, which banned the loading of crude oil into tankers on the city's waterfront.
 
The Portland Press Herald reports that the City Council this week voted to appropriate $500,000 in surplus funds to the Clear Skies Ordinance Legal Defense fund, bringing taxpayers' total contribution to $1.38 million.
 
Records show the city's legal fees so far have reached $1,009,368.
 
The judge presiding over the lawsuit is reviewing various motions by attorneys on both sides. He could decide the case as early as this month, which would avoid a trial.