A company that had planned to build a massive land-based salmon farming operation near Pioneer Ohio has decided to pause construction–
AquaBounty Technologies will hold off further work on the project due to the significant increase in the estimated cost of construction.
In a press release issued Friday, Aquabounty CEO Sylvia Wulf said the company has been working the past three years to reduce costs of the project–Efforts included hiring a second construction firm to re-bid portions of the construction.
Wulf said costs have soared past the initial estimates of up to $395-million.
The pause in construction will allow officials to determine the next steps, which may include a phased approach to complete the work.
The project has faced push back from residents of the tri-state area over the plan to draw millions of gallons of water from the Michindoh Aquifer and dump its wastewater into the Saint Joseph River–
Concerns over the withdrawal of water prompted local government leaders in the Tri-State area to form a council to explore the future of the aquifer that supplies water to residents in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.