Claim: Pedicularis furbishiae was responsible for the cancellation of a hydroelectric project meant for the Saint John River; Time magazine did not like the idea of the cancellation.
Evidence: For example, the Dickey-Lincoln dam, a $227 million hydroelectric project proposed on the upper Saint John River in 1974, was deauthorized by Congress in 1986 after years of study, because the dam would have flooded 88,000 acres (360 km) of Maine forest and severely reduced the lousewort's habitat. Some criticized ending the dam project to protect the lousewort; Time magazine called the idea "downright silly" in 1977.