Hydro deal foes call federal aid ‘crazy farce’

It was announced with plenty of fanfare in Happy Valley-Goose Bay Friday afternoon, but opponents of the Muskrat Falls project were underwhelmed by the multibillion-dollar federal loan guarantee term sheet.

New Democrat Leader Lorraine Michael wrote it off as a “crazy farce,” talking to reporters at Confederation Building shortly after the announcement.

N.L. premier ready to fast-track Muskrat Falls

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Anger boiled over at the legislature in St. John’s, N.L., Monday as Premier Kathy Dunderdale signalled she’s ready to approve the $7.4-billion Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project even before a curtailed debate.

It was a raucous first day of the fall sitting that culminated when Dunderdale moved a private member’s motion in support of the development in Labrador — a tactic that limits debate to “not more than one sitting day,” according to standing orders.

Muskrat Falls hydro project clears environmental hurdle

The proposed Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador has passed federal and provincial environmental assessments, a step towards proceeding with the $6.2-billion development.

In their formal responses to a joint panel report on the project, the federal and provincial governments reiterated their past assertions that Muskrat Falls is justified on both economic and environmental grounds.

They also rejected a recommendation to conduct further analysis to determine the project’s viability, concluding that sufficient information has already been provided to the panel.

“Today’s release from the environmental assessment process represents another important milestone and a major step forward as we move towards our decision on final project sanction,” provincial Natural Resources Minister Jerome Kennedy said in a statement Thursday.

Ottawa and the province say they will now proceed to issue the required federal authorizations for the project while trying to finalize a promised federal loan guarantee.