Half-Mile Rule, Full-Town Impact: Southwest Harbor Discusses Reach of Soil Testing Ordinance Carrie Jones Mar 19, 2026 The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Choco-Latté Café. SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Just months after voters overwhelmingly approved new soil testing rules aimed at protecting residents from pollution, town officials are reconsidering how far those protections should reach—and who, exactly, they are meant to protect. At a March 17 workshop, the Planning … Continue reading From Protection to Permissions: Southwest Harbor Officials Rethink Soil Testing Law.