Carbon sequestration banned within aquifer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Legislation banning carbon sequestration within the Mahomet Aquifer was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The aquifer underlies 1,260,000 acres and is the sole source of drinking water for over 800,000 people across 15 counties in east-central Illinois.

An estimated 100 million gallons per day of groundwater is pumped from the aquifer to supply municipal, agricultural, commercial, industrial and rural domestic users.

Supporters of carbon sequestration technology, which sees carbon dioxide pollution buried deep underground, say that the process wouldn’t affect any drinking water because the carbon dioxide is hundreds or thousands of feet below where water sits.

Advocates for a ban say that if any CO2 leaked, it could change the chemistry of drinking water, activating harmful substances.

The bill amends the Environmental Protection Act and provides “that no person shall conduct a carbon sequestration activity within a sequestration facility that overlies, underlies, or passes through a sole-source aquifer.”

It also specifies that this provision “does not deprive the EPA of the authority to deny a carbon sequestration permit.”

The legislation defines a “sole-source aquifer” as an aquifer designated by the U.S. EPA under the Safe Drinking Water Act, specifically referencing the Sole Source Aquifer Area as of March 19, 2015.

Additionally, the bill establishes the Mahomet Aquifer Advisory Study Commission, which will study and review reports on the safety of carbon capture and storage in the Mahomet Aquifer Area.

The commission, composed of various state officials and appointed members, will conduct research, engage with stakeholders and submit a final report to the governor and General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2031.

The commission aims to assess the potential risks and safety of carbon dioxide storage in the aquifer, reviewing its impacts on human, animal and environmental health, and examining carbon sequestration practices in Illinois and other states.

The legislation passed the Illinois House 91-19 after unanimous approval in the Senate 55-0.