APTN National News
The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is ordering its energy company Nalcor to remove more forest cover around the Muskrat Falls reservoir to “further address concerns surrounding methylmercury.”
Methylmercury is a naturally occurring toxin that is held in the muskeg and top soil. It becomes a health hazard if it is disturbed.
For years the Labrador Inuit have protested at the site over concerns flooding for the Muskrat Falls dam will disturb the trees, vegetation and topsoil sending toxins downstream where people hunt and fish.
On Monday, nine people blocking the entrance to the Muskrat Falls construction site over that issue were arrested.
On Wednesday, N.L. Environment Minister Perry Trimper released a statement stating more will be done.
“We have heard the call for further mitigation measures to address concerns around methylmercury and this is why removing additional forest cover is being required,” Trimper wrote in the statement. “Along with the additional clearing, we will continue to work with the Innu Nation, Nunatsiavut Government, and the NunatuKavut Community Council on oversight of this project.”
Word of the additional clearing comes after an APTN National News story reporting that federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc will not review permits granted by Ottawa for the project. That request came from Labrador MP Yvonne Jones who is also parliamentary secretary to Indigenous Affairs minister Carolyn Bennett.
“We understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders with respect to this project,” a statement from LeBlanc’s office said. “We expect the province will meet its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of Canadians.”
Jones could not be reached for comment on the news.
In Labrador, word that Canada would not ensure that N.L. was doing all it could to pressure the province to do more did not go over well.
“I find that extremely disappointing,” said Christina Tellez. “Justin Trudeau was said he was committed to UNDRIP and the federal government washing their hands of the people of Labrador should be seen as a human rights violation.”
There are still questions that remain unanswered about what exactly the province is requesting of its energy company. It’s still not clear how much forest cover Nalcor will have to remove, and whether it includes the area immediately affected by initial flooding set to begin any day.
There is also no mention of removing topsoil, which Inuit leaders in Labrador have called for.
The province also announced:
- the final facilitator’s report for the August 4 workshop has also been privded to te Innu Nation, the Nunatsiavut Government, and the NunatuKavut Community Council and will be made available to the public online in the coming days.
- Nalcor will be required to fund a furt study on methylmercury, to be designed and conducted by Dr. Elsie Sunderland.
Nalcor is holding a technical briefing Wednesday afternoon to discuss the late developments with the hydroelectric project.
