Labrador artist Billy Gauthier says he’ll remain on hunger strike until Nalcor Energy commits to fully clearing the Muskrat Falls reservoir of organic materials before it’s flooded.  (Billy Gauthier/Facebook, CBC)

Labrador artist Billy Gauthier says he’ll remain on hunger strike until Nalcor Energy commits to fully clearing the Muskrat Falls reservoir of organic materials before it’s flooded.
Photo Credit: (Billy Gauthier/Facebook, CBC)

Muskrat Falls reservoir set for flooding despite hunger strike and protests

Work on flooding the Muskrat Falls reservoir in Labrador is expected to go ahead as planned despite a hunger strike by an Inuit artist and protests by Indigenous groups worried that the hydro megaproject will contaminate their wildlife food sources.

Billy Gauthier, an Inuk sculptor and carver, has declared a hunger strike to demand that the company building one of the province’s largest hydroelectric dams clear the Muskrat Falls reservoir of all vegetation and organic materials before flooding it.

On Thursday night, Gauthier posted a video on his Facebook page, saying he ate his last meal – salmon from a downstream lake threatened by contamination caused by Muskrat Falls reservoir flooding.

“I’m not suicidal but I’m willing to do anything and everything it takes to make this happen, to stand up for what I believe in,” Gauthier said in the video.

Methylmercury contamination fears

The multibillion energy project has attracted its share of controversy with delays and cost overruns and has been the target of sustained protests by Inuit and other Indigenous groups worried about its environmental impact.

A Harvard University study commissioned by the Nunatsiavut Government, which represents northern Labrador Inuit, suggests that flooding the reservoir could cause methylmercury levels to spike downstream in Lake Melville.

Labrador’s Indigenous communities worry that the methylmercury contamination will poison waterfowl, fish and seals in the region, which represent a major food source for them.

They want the reservoir cleared of vegetation because researchers believe that will reduce methyl mercury levels.

 The construction site of the hydroelectric facility at Muskrat Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador is seen on July 14, 2015.
The construction site of the hydroelectric facility at Muskrat Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador is seen on July 14, 2015. © PC/Andrew Vaughan

“We understand people’s concerns regarding methylmercury and are committed to working with the aboriginal communities and all of our stakeholders in Labrador on this important issue,” Gilbert Bennett, Nalcor Energy executive vice president for Power Development, said in a statement.
“Nalcor continues to conduct comprehensive assessments and monitoring programs to evaluate methylmercury levels in the project area.”

Nalcor has undertaken additional water quality monitoring and is working with both governments on this program, Bennett said.

Flooding can start Saturday

Earlier this week, Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Minister Perry Trimper said the province is exploring options but a complete clearing isn’t possible.

Flooding the Muskrat Falls reservoir could begin as soon as Saturday, officials with Nalcor confirmed to RCI.

“The regulatory approval permits Nalcor to begin raising water levels anywhere between October 1 and December 31,” Deanne Fisher, Nalcor’s manager of corporate communications, said in an email. “However, we advised the community that we did not expect it to begin before October 15. The process can happen anytime within this window, will occur over a period of weeks and is dependent upon various construction milestones being achieved.”

With files from CBC News

Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Indigenous
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