BREAKING: 📰BIDDEFORD | City of Biddeford Appeals Saco River Corridor Commission Case to Maine’s Highest Court

By Danica Lamontagne, Contributing Writer

April 8, 2026, The City of Biddeford today filed an appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court following the Superior Court’s dismissal of the City’s challenge to a permit issued by the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC). The City is seeking a legal determination on whether the Commission acted within its authority when it issued a 2024 permit for the construction of a pier within the Saco River Corridor that ignored a longstanding 250-foot vegetative buffer zone along the shoreline — a critical environmental protection that had been in place since 2001.

In Fall 2025, a review of SRCC documents revealed that the Commission had established a 250-foot restricted zone applicable to the parcel in question. On October 20, 2025, the SRCC wrote to the City confirming the existence of that buffer, while leaving open the question of whether the requirement had been considered when the Commission approved the UNE Marine Research Pier in August 2024.

Committed to transparency and following established process, the City initially requested clarification from the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which serves as legal counsel for the SRCC and declined to provide a review. The City then filed a petition for judicial review in York County Superior Court. The SRCC opposed the petition on procedural grounds, and on March 20, 2026, the Court dismissed the City’s request based on timeliness. The City filed its appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court this afternoon.

“The Saco River and our coastal waters are among Biddeford’s most valued natural resources,” said Ward 1 City Councilor Patricia Boston, who represents Biddeford’s coastal residents. “Residents deserve a clear and complete answer as to whether the environmental protections governing this land were properly considered. That is what the court is being asked to provide.”

“The City is committed to open government and a transparent regulatory process,” said Mayor Liam LaFountain. “We believe this question deserves a full review on the merits, and we will continue to pursue that through the appropriate legal channels.”

Since Fall 2025, when the Biddeford City Council requested a review by the Maine Attorney General’s Office and subsequently filed a petition for judicial review, the City’s position has remained consistent: residents of Biddeford deserve clarity and transparency when it comes to environmental protections along the Saco River, and accountability from the agencies entrusted with safeguarding them.

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