Resolution No. 15011232 approving the controls for issuing licenses to drill new wells on the sedimentary shelf

This Resolution, consisting of 3 articles, approves the Ministry of Water's control procedures (attached to the Resolution) for issuing licenses to drill new wells on the sedimentary shelf. The Ministry's Agency for Water is responsible for updating these controls for specialized agricultural and livestock projects and for granting exemptions as it sees fit. The key provisions are (i) Article 1: Permits the drilling of new wells on the sedimentary shelf for a specific list of specialized agricultural and livestock projects with limited water consumption, such as poultry, livestock fattening, and various food processing and farming factories; (ii) Article 2: Exempts certain aquifers from the new well-drilling permissions. This applies to specific aquifers that are experiencing a sharp drop in water levels and serve as a source for numerous drinking water and intensive agricultural projects; (iii) Article 3: States that to be licensed, projects must be on land that is either owned with a valid deed or has a long-term lease. The site must also not be in a prohibited well-drilling or drinking water area; (iv) Project Requirements: To be approved, an agricultural project must consist of at least 50% basic agricultural components and hold a valid environmental compliance certificate if required; (v) Well Limitations: Article 7 limits the number of licensed wells to two per agricultural project. However, it allows for deepening or cleaning an existing well, or drilling a replacement if the original one becomes unusable. Finally, the Resolution includes a map that defines the specific locations on the sedimentary shelf where drilling new wells is not permitted.