#nalcor

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Forget cutting fat at Nalcor — the NDP wants to scrap it completely

The party says there's 'strong evidence' Nalcor unnecessary, expensive

Amid a long list of promises ahead of the May 16 election, the New Democrats pledged to save Newfoundland and Labrador money in its debt-laden Muskrat Falls era — by dismantling the very Crown corporation responsible for the project.

NDP Leader Alison Coffin, who released the party's platform this week, said the extra layers of management within Nalcor Energy are costly and unnecessary, and proposed a government department could handle those responsibilities at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

At the very least, "it's certainly going to give us a good opportunity to look at the exorbitant fee or administration salaries there," Coffin told CBC's On the Go.

"We believe that there really is only a need for one level of administration, and we want to see that return."

Nalcor, formed in 2007, manages several operations, including the Churchill Falls hydro project, N.L. Hydro, and three oil and gas fields offshore.

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Justin Brake on Twitter

“Nunatsiavut President says @NalcorEnergy/@GovNL will *not* be honouring commitment to lower water levels in #MuskratFalls reservoir #nlpoli”

–

Submitted by @lyd-ia

Photo of tweet:

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Do your job: NunatuKavut president to justice minister after protesters jailed in St. John's

"We expect the administration of justice in this province to respect the nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples and to live up to promises around reconciliation. "It can, and must, do better."

The NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) is condemning the arrest of three Inuit protesters and their detention at Her Majesty's Penitentiary.

Jim Learning, Eldred Davis and Marjorie Flowers were taken into custody on July 21, after refusing to obey a court injunction ordering them not to interfere with the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.

Time for arrests, says frustrated judge to Muskrat Falls protesters

NCC President Todd Russell issued a statement Monday afternoon, calling on Andrew Parsons, the province's attorney general and justice minister, to take action.

According to Russell, the three protesters were asserting their right to free speech and peaceful assembly.

"NCC calls for the immediate release of Jim, Eldred and Marjorie," Russell wrote. "We also demand that the Attorney General of Newfoundland and Labrador, who is responsible for the administration of justice in this province, do his job."

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[bloodcoal-blog]

The Environmental Cost of Cheap Electricity

Nova Scotia Power provides electricity for 98% of the province’s residents, the vast majority of which comes from its four coal generating stations. This reliance on non-renewable energy production has established Nova Scotia Power as the province’s biggest polluter, historically making up over half of the annual greenhouse emissions in the form of two million tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted each year.

Huge delays in the renewable replacement project, Nalcor’s Muskrat Falls Dam, have furthered this dependance on fossil fuels and created doubt as to whether Nova Scotia will meet is goal of being 40% renewable by 2020.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

N.L. will need 'bailout' because of Muskrat Falls, says analyst

A Canadian analyst says electricity rates after Muskrat Falls will be so high that the federal government will be forced to bail out Newfoundland and Labrador.

The impact of the Muskrat Falls project will be so devastating that the Canadian government will be forced to intervene, according to one business analyst.

Electricity rates will become so high to pay off the $11.7-billion megaproject that it will drag down the provincial economy, according to Ian Lee, a professor at Carleton University's school of business.

He says the situation is set to become so bad the federal government will be compelled to provide some sort of financial relief to Newfoundland and Labrador.

"I don't just mean loan guarantees. There will have to be some kind of financial — I know it's a very unpopular word — but some kind of a bailout," Lee told CBC's On The Go.

"The numbers are so staggering, and the impact on the people is so destructive."

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[allthecanadianpolitics]

Labrador Land Protectors - Legal Fund (crowdfunding)

We are the Labrador Land Protectors, a group of concerned citizens fighting against the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric dam. Our fundraising will go towards our legal fees as dozens of land protects face arrests and court summons.

We are a group of concerned citizens fighting against the development of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric megaproject. We are a diverse group and we come from all walks of life. We all bring different experiences, perspectives, and opinions. We are Innu. We are Inuit. We are Southern Inuit/Metis. We are Settlers. And we are all banding together to #ShutMuskratDown. We are fighting against Muskrat Falls for many reasons. 1. Inuit and Southern Inuit/Metis were never consulted to give free, prior, and informed consent to this project. This projects affects the waterways and lands around Inuit Settlement Areas. That we were not consulted directly violates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Article 28) . 2. This project has been fraught with racism from the very beginning . Innu workers at Muskrat Falls worksite have faced everything from racist remarks to physical assault on the job. This is unacceptable. 3. The Muskrat Falls dam will cause significant methlymercury contamination.Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in fat as it progresses up the food web. This is particularly harmful to us because we hunt and fish from these waters. By contaminating the food sources of our traditional diet, Nalcor is cutting us off from our culture and way of life. 4. The dam itself is built on quick clay and poses a serious safety risk to the public. Experts have spoken out against the structural problems that arise from building on quick clay and have deemed it "not safe". Furthermore, Nalcor is passing the buck on their inadequate emergency response plans in case of a breach in the dam. 5. The economic impacts of this project will haunt our province forever. Nalcor's own CEO called the project a boondoggle ! The estimated costs are up to $11.4 Billion , and rising. This will impact the entire province, not just Labradorians. 

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[indigenousissues-blog]

Nalcor's official Muskrat Falls website

Nalcor’s official website dedicated to the Muskrat Falls project suggests that the construction of an 824 megawatt dam over the Lower Churchill river will provide Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with a clean, renewable energy source. Nalcor claims that the installation of the dam will render the provinces less dependent on other sources of energy, such as oil and fossil fuels as well as create a more self-sufficient economy in the Maritimes. The corporation has been working for 35 years to ensure its promise that the project will be both environmentally and economically friendly.

[indigenousissues-blog]

Nalcor’s extensive environmental protection plan. One specific point in the plan consists of a Fish Habitat Compensation Plan. It requires Nalcor to ensure compensation for any and all destroyed fish habitats as a result of the project. The plan was created in collaboration with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Although this may ensure a stable habitat for the fish, the presence of mercury in the fish may not be affected for a long period of time. Thus the Lower Churchill project will still have a negative impact on the Nunatsiavut First Nations.