Chairwoman Stav Shaffir of the Green Party has demanded that Noble Energy not be allowed to announce the test running of its natural-gas rig off the northern coast and flushing of nitrogen from the system before obtaining the Environmental Protection Ministry's approval.
In an urgent message to Environmental Protection Minister Ze'ev Elkin, Member of Knesset Shaffir wrote: "I expect the Ministry of Environmental Protection not to compromise on all environmental requirements, nor to allow running and 'flushing' to be implemented without complying with them." Shafir raised concerns that his office, along with Noble Energy, would adopt a deliberate policy aimed at exhausting Hof Carmel and surrounding residents through "announcements and cancellations every Monday and Thursday".