Great Northern Salmon (GNS), a 10,000 metric-ton, $270-million land-based salmon farm planned for Millinocket in Penobscot County, Maine, is gearing up for a busy September as it plans to kick off the groundwork for its operation.

CEO Marianne Naess announced on Tuesday (Sept. 10) that the projected timeline for the pre-construction work is 10 months. The job involves a comprehensive site survey, environmental assessments and regulatory approvals.

"The work entails decanting the water and removing settlement materials in the lagoon, the location of GNS's future land-based RAS salmon farm," said Naess. "Our close collaboration with the site owner and economic development partner, Our Katahdin, has made it possible to start this work on schedule and progress with the development of our recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) facility."

Completing the project successfully will equip GNS with a ready-for-construction site, reducing construction time by over six months and mitigating risks like excavation and blasting. Furthermore, geotechnical assessments have confirmed that the glacial till substrate can support the facility's weight, the company said.

It added that the project has received financial support from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, the National Science Foundation and the Clean Energy Fund, alongside contributions from selected local businesses.

It added that GNS is now working on closing Series A fundraising and will start detailed design, scheduling, and final estimation of the facility this fall.

Further, it said the project has garnered financial backing from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, the National Science Foundation, the Clean Energy Fund, and select local businesses.

It is progressing with Series A fundraising efforts and is set to begin detailed design, scheduling, and final estimation of the facility this fall.