Environment

Environment

Meitar’s environmental group represents both private companies and municipal authorities in complex environmental matters, including planning and licensing issues, administrative challenges and litigation.

The firm represents large companies, petroleum and gas drilling contractors, local authorities, urban corporations and water and sewage corporations.
Among the firm’s clients are Mekorot, Nesher, Stratasys, the Environmental Services Company, Bazan group, Energean, the Atwood Drilling Rig, Pelagic Drilling, KKL-JNF, the Eilat Underwater Observatory and the Eilat Municipality.

We have advised a number of municipalities in the formation of water and sewage treatment companies, such as the establishment of Mei Avivim in Tel Aviv. We also advise industrial plants dealing with EHS (environment, health and safety) related questions, such as air and soil pollution, water and sewage treatment and occupational exposures.

Meitar has unique expertise in the desalination and water pollution fields and represents most of Israel’s largest commercial companies in this field.
Our environmental group also assists our real estate and energy groups in a wide spectrum of municipal and infrastructure matters. These include real estate development, natural resource exploitation and energy, including ongoing consulting to companies involved in gas and oil exploration, and water and sewage utilities.

The department also assists the corporate group in carrying out due diligence reviews of companies with significant EHS exposure.

Meitar represents various companies, industries and public bodies in proceedings with enforcement and regulatory authorities. We also review our clients’ risk management procedures and emergency contingency plans.

Meitar’s environmental group regularly ranks at the top of the professional rankings according to the Israeli ranking guides Dun’s 100 and BDI.

Representative experience

• Advising the developers of the Sludge Project (Mifal Ha’butza) and the Eastern Line Project (Ha’kav Ha’mizrahi) to overcome bureaucratic obstacles to complete the projects.
• Representation of the “Mey-Dan” association, the operator of the “Shafdan” site in Tel Aviv which recycles 40% of all sewage in the State of Israel.
• Representation of the Ramat Hasharon Municipality in the claim against IMI Systems Ltd. and the State for the pollution of the Coastal Aquifer and the award of compensation in the amount of NIS 22 million.
• Representation and consultation to municipal authorities and water and sewage companies in the Eilat, Ramat Hasharon, Hod HaSharon, Rosh HaAin, Givatayim, Tel Aviv, Megido, Nazareth Hills and Lower Galilee regions in forming water and sewage treatment companies.
• Representation of the Eilat Municipality and Ein Netafim Water and Sewage Corporation in a charge for the pollution of the Gulf of Eilat, and the conclusion of the case without prosecution.
• Advising Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel KKL-JNF, one of Israel’s largest “green” organizations.
• Ongoing consulting on large-scale infrastructure projects in the water, sewage and effluents fields.
• Legal support for legislative and regulatory processes, such as the Law for the Rehabilitation of Contaminated Land, the Drinking Water Quality Regulations, the Effluent Quality Regulations, the Plastic Bags Law and more.
• Representation of Mekorot in a class action lawsuit for damages to agriculture from contamination of effluents for irrigation.
• Representation of Adama Makhteshim (Makhteshim Chemical Plants Ltd.) in a toxic torts claim in respect of alleged pollution damages at Ramat Hovav Industrial Zone.
• Representation of the Municipality of Eilat in the struggle to remove fish cages from the Red Sea.