SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — 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 reported (http://bit.ly/2kWxzFd ) 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.
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