Critics get spotlight at Muskrat Falls hearings

Critics of the proposed megaproject to generate power at Muskrat Falls on Labrador's Churchill River are expected to speak out Monday at public hearings in St.John's.

The Public Utilities Board, which opened public hearings last week on the $6.2-billion megaproject, will hear from some of the project's most vocal opponents.

Dave Vardy, a former PUB chair himself, and Ron Penney, a former provincial deputy minister of justice and the former commissioner at the City of St. John's, are scheduled to speak at the hearings.

Vardy and Penney wrote a letter to the St. John's Telegram in January that fuelled opposition to the project. They arguedthe project has not been shown to be economically sound and that a public referendum should be held.

The PUB also expected to hearcriticism of the review processfor Muskrat Falls.

The board is scheduled to hear from Cabot Martin, one of a group of 10 lawyers who have stated they want the deadline for the PUB review extended beyond the March 31 deadline.

PUB chair Andy Wells had tried unsuccessfully to have that deadline pushed back, arguing that Crown-owned Nalcor had not supplied documentation in a timely way.

Premier Kathy Dunderdale turned down the request last month.

On Tuesday, the presentations take a more political turn. Presenters include Liberal MHA Yvonne Jones and former Liberal MHA Danny Dumaresque.