Energy giant Chevron backtracked on plans to cease air quality monitoring at beaches near its Leviathan gas platform, located 10 kms (6.2 miles) away from Israel’s shoreline, after environmental authorities warned the move would constitute "severe health and environmental failure." The reversal followed a public outcry and intervention by the Environmental Protection Ministry.
The Sharon-Carmel Cities Association for Environmental Protection (SCCAEP) alerted that Chevron—operator of the Mediterranean Leviathan rig—sought to halt pollution monitoring at coastal stations near Ma’ayan Tzvi, despite ongoing emissions checks designed to ensure public safety.
This came months after the Environmental Protection Ministry unexpectedly informed Chevron in November 2024 that coastal monitoring was "not legally mandatory," a position it later retracted.
Yoni Sapir, chairman of the environmental watchdog "Israel Earth Guardians," condemned the initial decision: "It’s unconscionable to leave the public exposed during wartime—especially when gas platforms are targets and aging infrastructure increases pollution risks.
“With Leviathan doubling gas processing capacity after 5.5 years of operation (noting such facilities pollute more as they age), removing monitoring equates to stripping public oversight." Sapir highlighted hundreds of past malfunctions and regulatory violations at the platform, including multimillion-shekel fines.
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In a sharp reversal following Ynet’s reporting, Chevron announced: "Although not obligated, we will resume coastal monitoring operations." The company defended its record, saying that data from its air monitoring stations "consistently confirmed Leviathan’s operations do not impact coastal air quality"—a finding allegedly validated by the ministry and SCCAEP.
Chevron attributed the planned discontinuation to the ministry’s earlier exemption and "operational difficulties" with local authorities, but pledged renewed monitoring "out of commitment to transparency and public health."
Environmental advocates remain skeptical, noting this incident echoes recent attempts by Israel’s energy giant Bazan Group to exploit wartime conditions for regulatory leniency after Iranian missile strikes on its facilities. SCCAEP maintained that robust, independent oversight is non-negotiable for coastal communities.