Opponents rally to stop carbon capture projects near water supplies in Illinois

There is growing opposition to carbon capture projects that some say threaten drinking water supplies in Illinois.

A new Illinois law requires corporations to provide an alternative drinking source if it becomes contaminated from the injection and storage of CO2. But Pan Rickert, with Eco-Justice Collaborative, said there is one issue that wasn’t addressed in the legislation which is sole source aquifers like the Mahomet that supplies water to nearly a million people in over a dozen counties.

“Developers have to replace water that is contaminated, and if it would be under the Mahomet Aquifer, there is no readily available supply of water to become an alternative water source,” said Rickert. “It doesn’t exist without a huge economic impact.”

Rickert adds that the aquifer serves over 100 communities, businesses, and farmers throughout central Illinois and is vital to the economy.

Rickert’s group released poll results that showed 82% of Illinois registered voters say they oppose private corporations' use of eminent domain for their private carbon dioxide pipeline and sequestration projects, and 89% think carbon capture and storage poses a serious risk of carbon dioxide leaks, potentially at lethal levels.

"A private corporation should not be allowed to take our property by eminent domain for a project that could damage our land, and be routed close enough to our homes and schools to put our lives in danger,” said Kathy Campbell, vice president of Citizens Against Heartland Greenwashing projects.

According to the Illinois Prairie Rivers Network, three carbon capture projects are proposing to inject carbon through the aquifer and store it underneath.

Opponents are pointing to a Sept. 13 incident in Decatur. E&E News reported that corrosion in one of Arch Daniels-Midland Co.’s carbon sequestration wells allowed carbon dioxide to leak.

“This incident demonstrates how important strict CCS regulations are to protect our communities and environment, and is exactly why we passed the CCS protections act in Illinois this year,” said the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition in a statement.

State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said he has filed legislation that needs to be passed immediately he said would protect the aquifer from CO2 injection.

“This is exactly what I was sounding the alarm about back in May when Democrats were ramming through their supposedly ‘green’ Carbon Sequestration bill,” said Rose. “This is exactly why that bill should not have passed, why Governor Pritzker should never have signed that bill.”