A $1 million grant from the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program will fund the removal of two 200-year-old dams along the Royal River in Yarmouth, Maine. The project, approved by the Yarmouth City Council last year, aims to restore the river's natural ecosystem and improve conditions for fish, birds, and wildlife.

Local environmental groups including the Royal River Alliance and Royal River Conservation Trust have long advocated for dam removal, citing benefits such as restoring sea-run fisheries, reducing erosion, slowing invasive species proliferation, and improving climate resilience. The East Elm Street and Bridge Street dams have been the focus of these efforts for years.

Similar dam removal projects have shown significant ecological benefits, with salmon populations rebounding in rivers like Oregon's Klamath River and Washington's Elwha River. Yarmouth Town Council Chair Karin Orenstein noted that the project represents years of advocacy, saying, 'It has been a long time coming.' The construction is scheduled to begin this summer, marking a major victory for local conservation efforts and environmental restoration in the region.