"The war sharpened the importance of evacuating factories from Haifa Bay" • Yuval Edmon

(Hai Fe) - A month after the Israeli government approved the TMA 75 plan to evacuate the factories from Haifa Bay, the head of the Haifa Bay Development Authority Yuval Edmon says: "The war sharpened the importance of the plan for us and its implementation must be accelerated even more."

Although approval by the council is an important step in the process, it is not the end of the statutory process

As I remember last September (2023), the plan for the evacuation of the polluting industry was approved within the framework of TMA 75 in the national council, which is led by the Israel Land Authority and the planning director. Upon the approval of the plan by the council, Yuval Edmon, head of the Haifa Bay Development Authority, said in a special interview with Haifa that although the approval by the council is an important step in the process, it is not the end of the statutory process.

The meaning of the approval is that for the first time formally in the planning institutions, the Haifa Bay is going to look different - the petrochemical industries will not be there and there will be urban development in the center of the bay, a metropolitan park of 6000 dunams. The approval is connected to the implementation of government decision 123/1 for the development of Haifa Bay that we passed a year and a half ago. A month ago (December 2023) in the middle of the 'Iron Swords' war, the government approved the plan."

Today, 15/1/24, a month after the plan, Admon Lahi Fe says: "The war sharpened for us the importance of the TMA 75 plan to evacuate the petrochemical plants from Haifa Bay and how important it is to close the plants even faster. In the war, we see the importance of dispersing and protecting the energy infrastructure while In order to calculate the maintenance of distillates for at least two months in the event that there will be no possibility for ships to enter, because nothing can be done with crude oil and refined oil is essential for the conduct of the state.

Therefore, the issue of maintaining the distillates in sites that are scattered, protected, underground and far from populated places, allows to function continuously. There is a need to speed up the execution of the decision even more and for that you need a crazy mobilization of those with influence. We hope that with the help of the efforts of all parties it is possible and we will be able to implement the plan in half the time allotted.

Edmon also referred to the explosion that happened yesterday, Sunday 14/1/24 in Bezan

According to him: "The explosion reminded all the residents of the area who saw the mushroom of black smoke above the refineries complex that this is a large, complex manufacturing plant, which includes flammable and dangerous materials. Its current location may have been suitable when the British built it in the 30s, but now when people live around it over Half a million inhabitants, it is a hazard and an obstacle to the development of the metropolis."

In the previous interview conducted with Admon, he explains the process of the program.

Yuval Admon in an interview with Lahi Pa ► Watch

The energy sector should be prepared for the shutdown of industries in 2029

According to the work plan drawn up by the government under the leadership of the Haifa Bay Development Directorate, the energy sector should be prepared to shut down the industries in 2029. Admon explains: "In order to shut down the industries in 2029, energy infrastructures need to be established throughout the country so that the energy system can continue to function even without the Zone and We are working very hard. At the same time, the state needs to negotiate with Bezan and the relevant bodies that need to stop their activities so that the energy sector will be ready in time.

It is estimated that the first and easiest thing to evacuate will be the tank farm in Kiryat Haim because it is a farm that holds crude oil for Bezan and as soon as Bezan stops operating there is no need for it. It is even possible to make an effort and reduce the farm even before 2029 and thus free up the coast. Within the Bezan complex, which covers 2000 dunams, it is still too early to know which parts can be dismantled first.'

What about the permits and the section that was deleted regarding the approval of the construction of facilities in the period before the closing of Bezan?

"The cessation of activity is aimed at 2029, but between now and 2029 the factory must continue to work and things must be maintained. So where it is necessary to reduce pollution and use newer tools, it is appropriate and correct to do so. I will even make it clear that if the factory comes to the state and says that tomorrow it will stop operations, the state will say no and it has the right to say that because the energy economy must continue to operate. There are initiatives to establish a power plant and there is talk about it. To the best of my understanding, the state cannot say no in advance, and it has to conduct itself with open and transparent caution in front of Bezan.'

We will make sure that the workers of the petrochemical industry have an answer and security

Admon explains that with regard to the employees of the Bezan and the industry, we have already flagged the issue in the McKinsey report and emphasized that unlike the Haifa Chemicals factory which is closing down from now on, here we are looking ahead and this will be part of the summaries that will be with the government. In Bazan there are more than 1300 people who work and they deserve security, so we will make sure that they have an answer.

Yuval Admon tells about the process of stopping the activity and the evacuation ► Watch

The estimate - it will take 5 years to dismantle the irons and 5 years to clean the tattoos

After the closure of Bezen, the initial assessment is that according to the tests of the best experts, it will take an order of magnitude of 5 years to dismantle the irons from the factory and 5 years to clean up the land. After the soil is sampled after the dismantling, we will be able to accurately know the timetables.

This is how he says: "In terms of starting work, there are already areas that you can start working on as part of the TAMA program 75 areas that are not adjacent to the plant, such as the area of ​​Nahal Saadia and its rehabilitation and the development of a high-tech park in its vicinity and the renewal of the check post from the Nesher Lakes to the Kishon Park and Magan Shavit. The park that will be built will be bigger than the Yarkon Park and it will be ready in 10 years. As a result, the real estate will have a greater value.

One of the most important points in the story and some for and some against is the logistics complex. This is a very important point, especially now - with Avraham's agreements and the peace agreement that may come with the Saudis. The complex will be more relevant because we are talking about an overland trade route from Haifa to the west to Dubai to the ports of Saudi Arabia and even further to India, and Haifa can be a central point with significant geo-strategic significance for Israel and the Haifa Bay itself, and these are things that I hope will begin to develop in the coming years."

In two or three years - the feasibility of detailed plans in effect

This is how Yuval goes on to say: "After the plan was approved by the government, the Israel Lands Authority and the planning director who initiated the plan and led it together with Prof. Avi Simhon, the chairman of the National Economic Council in the Prime Minister's Office, who serves as the chairman of the steering committee for the strategic plan for Haifa Bay , will move to the stage of detailed plans and begin to plan the various complexes at a level from which building permits can be issued and in two or three years there will be detailed plans in effect.

The goal is to develop Israel's northern metropolis so that the number of people can double its size, as well as the number of businesses. The development will affect the entire north - and many people will want to move north.

Rami and the planning director approved a size order of 10-12 million square meters of logistics halls, clean industry, offices, commerce as well as tourism and hotels in areas adjacent to the river and the sea. The big challenge is to implement the plan. Statutory plans cannot remain "on paper". In order for them to be realized, it is necessary to act intensively to develop the area economically and commercially.

Despite the tendency towards skepticism, I ask people to believe that we are working very hard on this. It is very important for us to share as much information as possible so that people know what is happening.'