Environment and Climate Change
October 21, 2016

Protecting Human Health and the Environment

Harvard University Asked to Clarify Professor's Role in Methylmercury Research

Today, the Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, reached out to Harvard University requesting clarification regarding their stance on Dr. Elsie Sunderland's research on methylmercury. In a letter to Harvard President Dr. Drew Faust, Minister Trimper has asked Harvard officials to clarify the nature and scope of Dr. Sunderland's work in the area of methylmercury monitoring and whether Harvard endorses Dr. Sunderland's methylmercury research and its relationship with the Muskrat Falls project. A copy of the letter can be found at - www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2016/ecc/1021n10_letter.pdf

"We are completely perplexed by what we've heard from Harvard University. Dr. Sunderland has provided advice to the Nunatsiavut Government about our enhanced water quality monitoring plan. She also suggested her own approach involving measurement of methylmercury from soil samples to be carried out at her research laboratory - research which we subsequently agreed to fund. Now Harvard is denying that Dr. Sunderland does, or would do this sort of work. We will continue to seek clarification until we have a clear understanding of her methylmercury research methods and her future plans for involvement in the province's enhanced monitoring efforts."
- The Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Over the past six months, officials with the Department of Environment and Climate Change have been in communication with the Nunatsiavut Government regarding Dr. Sunderland's methylmercury research - research she also presented at an Expert Workshop in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on August 4, 2016. Additionally, in the past two weeks, department officials have been engaged with the Nunatsiavut Government and Dr. Sunderland on the development of an enhanced water quality monitoring program regarding methylmercury.

On October 3, department officials held a conference call with representatives of the Nunatsiavut Government, along with Dr. Sunderland on an enhanced environmental monitoring plan. As a result, on October 11 the department received a proposal from the Nunatsiavut Government, outlining the work Dr. Sunderland would like to have carried out, which proposed an approach that involved soil sampling and testing. Subsequently, in support of the October 11 proposal, the Nunatsiavut Government submitted a budget, prepared by Harvard officials, outlining the cost of sampling and analysis that would be completed at Dr. Sunderland's laboratory at Harvard.

QUICK FACTS

• The Honorable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has reached out to Harvard University to seek clarification regarding their stance on Dr. Sunderland's current and future research on methylmercury.
• Minister Trimper has asked Harvard officials to clarify the scope of Dr. Sunderland's work in the area of methylmercury monitoring, and whether Harvard endorses Dr. Sunderland's methylmercury research and its relationship with the Muskrat Falls Project.
• Over the past six months, officials with the Department of Environment and Climate Change have been in communication with the Nunatsiavut Government and Dr. Sunderland regarding both Dr. Sunderland's published and unpublished work on this topic.

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Media contact:

John Tompkins Director of Communications Department of Environment and Climate Change 709-729-2575, 728-7762 jtompkins@gov.nl.ca

2016 10 21                              5:55 p.m.