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BUSTAN: Environmental Justice in Israel/Palestine’s
Negev/Naqab
Sustainable
Community Action for Land and People
Invitation to a Meeting on Proposed
Oil Shale Power Plant in the Negev: Can WE Stop This?
June 11th, 2:00, Heinrich
Boell Foundation offices 24 Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv
BUSTAN, Negev Environmental Justice NGO, requests
your participation on June 11th at 2:00 to discuss the resurgence of
plans to mine and burn oil shale in the Negev. BUSTAN calls upon the
environmental community to join together to confront potential implications of
kerogen mining, synthetic oil manufacturing, and oil shale electricity, for all
of Israel's citizens.
****** Background ******
In the last month and a half, the government-owned company A.F.S.K.
Industries has been negotiating with the Ministry of Infrastructure, and Senior
Deputy Director General Eli Ronen in particular, to seek government permission
and funding to build an oil shale power plant in the Negev Desert, in Mishor
Rotem. In a recent meeting, Ronen told the developers: "The ministry will
promote with its blessings the initiative that will allow the production of
oil." 1
Israeli promotion of one of the most water-intensive and polluting fuels
on the planet could have implications globally. If this technology has the
potential to catch hold outside the Israeli context (as it might - given Shell
Oil's announcement of new shale oil extraction technology only a few months
before A.F.S.K.'s revelation) we could see the emergence of an even more
frightening scenario resulting from intensive water and air pollution.
Replacing one shortage with another even more dire deficit, could lead
to the commodification of water and air and eventually water wars.
****** Joint Statement ******
We propose the formation of a loose network of organizations, each with
its own method and approach to the issue. The meeting aims to strategize
effectively to avoid duplication of effort and maximize the efficiency of our
efforts as we each work to raise attention to the problem and to promote
renewable resource alternatives each in our own way. Prior to the meeting, Bustan
will draft and circulate a joint statement regarding the issue. At the meeting,
Bustan will reveal the background to the oil shale proposal in the Negev
via a brief presentation.
Please confirm participation in advance:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
, and check our website for additional background: www.bustan.org.
We will send out the statement draft to those who confirm participation,
in about half a week. Please send comments and additions to the document prior
to the meeting, and we will integrate them into the draft. During the meeting,
we will make final changes to the joint statement, which will then be released
to the media and circulated to the relevant ministries and decision-makers.
1 Krauss, Leah: "Israeli firm explores oil shale
production;" United Press International, March 27, 2006
Spread the word to your network about this important
meeting about a new oil shale electrical
power plant, coming up in a week. The plant is supposed to supply
Israel's electricity for the next half-century, and could sideline decades of
our efforts to push the government to support renewable energy efforts.
We have invited Director General of the Ministry of
Infrastructure, Eli Ronen, to join us, as well as an R&D Manager and
Economist at the Ministry. Several pro-oil shale executives have also been
invited, and we hope to be able to garner information from them about the new
extraction technology. The Energy Conservation Dept. has at the Ministry has
shown interest and indicated that attendance of at least one Ministry official
is likely. Let's see if they rise to the challenge.
See the following links to articles confirming the Ministry of
Infrastructure negotiations around the oil shale plant.
1. See the link to the original article in 'Red
Herring:' http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=16021&hed=Israel+Develops+Oil+from+Shale
2. See a more recent article from UPI: http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20060327-050223-2817r
See the same article uploaded to the Israel Export
and International Cooperation Institute Website:
http://www.export.gov.il/Eng/_Articles/Article.asp?CategoryID=640&ArticleID=3244 (The Israel Export & International Cooperation
Institute is a government body, supported by over 2,600 member firms and
private-sector bodies. It "advances busines relationships between Israeli
exporters and overseas businesses and organizations.")
Remember: June 11th, Heinrich Boell, 2:00.
Best regards,
Rebecca Manski
Communications Director, Bustan -
Environmental Justice in the Negev/Naqab Desert
BUSTAN
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
(+972) 523 711 800
P.O. Box 6955 - Jerusalem, Israel 91060
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