BELFAST, Maine (AP)   The company behind a planned inland salmon farm in Maine says environmental assessments of the property are progressing despite weather-related setbacks.

Nordic Aquafarms, of Fredrikstad, Norway, wants to build one of the largest salmon farms of its kind in the world in Belfast. The 40-acre salmon farm would be capable of producing more than 60 million pounds of fish per year.

The company says snowfall has delayed progress of groundwater drilling and testing, but the work’s still expected to be completed next month. It says testing of water quality on the site shows no contaminants.

The firm says other assessments are also moving along, and it expects construction might be able to start next year.

The salmon farm would differ from most in Maine because it wouldn’t use marine pens.