None other than David Byrne—the former front man for the band Talking Heads, writer, artist, and polymath—is lauding the benefits of the ongoing Penobscot River Restoration Project. Byrne published an article about the benefits of restoring the Maine river to its pre-industrialized past on his Reasons to be Cheerful online magazine, which he founded in 2018 to highlight positive news in the world.

Thus far, the project has resulted in the removal of two major dams—Veazie and Great Works—on the lower river, and created a bypass around a third to make it easier for fish to reach upriver habitat.

“When you look at the positive impacts it has had, like fish populations rebounding, and better access for tribal people, and recreation opportunities, it shows that projects like these really help communities on a larger scale,” Byrne told the Bangor Daily News. “It’s not something that happens overnight, but is the work of dedicated people with a vision.”