The Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River in Maine was the first significant dam denied Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing and consequently was deconstructed in 1999. Because it was the first, the event of this “undamming” was filled with political implications for the “undamming” movement and its deconstruction of many large dams in the American West such as the Elwha, the Klamath, and possibly the Glen Canyon Dams. In addition, the Penobscot Indigenous Nation led the decommissioning and deconstruction of dams on Maine’s Penobscot River and watershed, and did so without significant reductions in the hydroelectric output of the River. This was a significant advance for justice for indigenous people. It also substantially restored Atlantic Salmon and other fish runs to the rivers of Maine, and set a precedent for future river and watershed environmental restorations.