In this Jan. 19, 2019 file photo, the Brookfield Renewable hydroelectric facility stands at the Milford Dam on the Penobscot River in Milford, Maine.
The groups sued Brookfield Renewable, claiming the company kills salmon on the Kennebec River with its dams. Atlantic salmon only return to a handful of U.S. rivers, all in Maine, and they are protected under the Endangered Species Act. The conservation groups say they can still shut down the dams by focusing on upcoming federal relicensing applications by Brookfield Renewable.
The groups involved in the lawsuit were Atlantic Salmon Federation, Conservation Law Foundation, Maine Rivers and Natural Resources Council of Maine. Conservation groups have long advocated for removing dams from Maine rivers to aid salmon spawning.