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Natural Resources
December 18, 2012

New Legislation to Help Advance Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Project

New legislation entitled, An Act Respecting the Use and Expropriation of Land for the Muskrat Falls Project, to be introduced today (Tuesday, December 18) in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Natural Resources, will see the creation of a stand-alone, lands-related act to ensure that Nalcor and Emera have the ability to acquire the necessary land interests to advance the proposed Muskrat Falls project.

“The acquisition of Crown and private land is required for the transmission infrastructure necessary to deliver power from Muskrat Falls to the Island,” said Minister Kennedy. “This legislation will assist with the finance-raising process, however, acquisitions will not start until the Labrador-Island Transmission Link, the Maritime Link and the Labrador Transmission Assets are released from the Environmental Assessment Process.”

Through this legislation the Provincial Government will be given expropriating power for the Muskrat Falls Project which will include the power to issue notices of expropriation, and monitor and execute the expropriation process. The Provincial Government will be the body to approve the expropriation of land required for the Maritime Link as per the expropriation protocol.

The new legislation proposes to create a new form of statutory easement that will give Nalcor and Emera the right to erect structures on the underlying land, enter onto the underlying land for the purposes of constructing and maintaining the structures and restrict the uses to which the landowner can use the land governed by the statutory easement.

The legislation will also establish an expropriation protocol through regulations which the Provincial Government will adhere to and will allow Nalcor and Emera to pledge the easement as security to financial lenders. The province, Nalcor and Emera will also work together to achieve fair compensation packages for Crown and private landowners.

As well, as a result of this legislation, rural areas of the province will experience positive impacts associated with the construction activity of the required infrastructure, including increased employment and business opportunities.

“Having this legislation in place will support the finance-raising process and signal to financial lenders that the Provincial Government is supportive of the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project and will take the necessary actions to ensure its success,” said Minister Kennedy. “This legislation is another step towards the development of Muskrat Falls along with the Labrador-Island Transmission Link, which has been determined to be the least-cost solution to address future energy needs in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

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Media contact:

Heather Maclean
Director of Communications
Department of Natural Resources
709-729-5282, 697-4137
heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca


Backgrounder
An Act Respecting the Use and Expropriation of Land for the Muskrat Falls Project

2012 12 18                         1:25 p.m.


 
 
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