The York Planning Board could soon decide the fate of a distillery expansion plan that has residents worried about “whiskey fungus.”
Right now, dozens of signs near the Wiggly Bridge Distillery on Route 1 in York warn of a “Whiskey Fungus Zone.”
“The signs were attention grabbing, absolutely,” neighbor Kirby Robinson said.
Neighbors who live near the distillery are worried that adding two new rickhouses, to ferment hundreds more barrels of whiskey, could worsen the situation because the fungus feeds off the alcohol fumes.
“We have one distillery, which already is causing problems. Why do we need two more which could make things worse?” one neighbor said.
In a study published in July, University of Maine at Machias researchers took 100 samples within a mile radius of the distillery and found whiskey fungus spores in several locations. Researchers believe the Wiggly Bridge Distillery is responsible.
“It is not by chance that this is happening. It is the result of the distillery,” neighbor Beth Downs said.
Wiggly Bridge Distillery Owner David Woods said there is no health risk from whiskey fungus. But some public health officials say the fungus hasn’t been studied enough to be sure.
“This has been blown out of proportion,” Woods said.
Robinson wants the Planning Board to delay its decision until it can get more information about whiskey fungus out to the public.
“Maybe they just pump the brakes a little bit and get more information out. I’m not going to support an expansion, because that’s also my backyard,” Robinson said.
Thursday night’s Planning Board meeting will be held at the town library. Neighbors who live near the distillery plan to pack the meeting room.