Land-based yellowtail farmer Kingfish Maine is filing its first pre-permitting application in August in order to get started with the construction of an 6,000-8,000 metric tons land-based facility in Jonesport, Maine.
The Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit (MEPDES) is considered one of the most critical permits needed to operate a land-based farming facility.
The company is planning to discuss the permitting application in a public meeting held on July 21. The permit assesses Kingfish Maine's ability to maintain the water quality of the area based on the location of the discharge point and makeup of the effluent water.
"We are investing in an advanced filtration and heat exchange system which will allow us to reclaim heat from the water, therefore preventing temperature rise in the bay," Kingfish Maine CEO Ohad Maiman said.
"Our designers and engineers listened to the concerns of residents and are also minimizing the pipe footprint to just below half a mile."
The Kingfish Maine facility will use the same technology to mitigate impacts of the effluent discharged as Kingfish Zeeland, the company's sister operations in the Netherlands.
In January, Animal feed giant Nutreco announced it is investing in Kingfish Zeeland to double its production in the Netherlands and begin the permitting process for its acquired location in Jonesport.
The Kingfish Company's plan is to produce more than 20,000 metric tons per year over the next five years in the European and United States facilities combined.
