In a decisive move to safeguard the region’s primary drinking water source, the Champaign County Board has unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on carbon sequestration activities near the Mahomet Aquifer. The decision, made on Thursday night, comes after months of growing concern over the potential risks posed by carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects to this vital water resource.

The Mahomet Aquifer, which supplies fresh water to nearly one million people across 14 counties in Central Illinois, has been at the center of a heated debate surrounding proposed CCS projects. These initiatives aim to inject and store carbon dioxide deep underground as a method to mitigate climate change. However, critics argue that the technology is unproven and could pose significant risks to groundwater safety.

During the board meeting, which saw a turnout of more than 60 concerned citizens, residents voiced their apprehensions about the potential leaching of heavy metals such as uranium, nickel, and manganese into the aquifer if CO2 were to be injected underground. These concerns were amplified by recent incidents, including leaks at Archer Daniels Midland’s CCS facility near Decatur, just five miles from the Mahomet Aquifer.

The moratorium, which will be in effect for the next 12 months, provides the county with a crucial window to develop comprehensive zoning regulations aimed at protecting this irreplaceable water source. This decision follows the initial steps taken in October when the Champaign County Board Environment and Land Use Committee voted to establish a temporary ban on carbon sequestration activities.

Local leaders have rallied behind the moratorium, with Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin and Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, both expressing their support for the measure. The decision has also garnered backing from state legislators, including Senators Paul Faraci and Chapin Rose, who have introduced legislation at the state level to ban carbon sequestration projects near sole-source aquifers like the Mahomet.

The board’s decision reflects a growing trend of local governments taking proactive measures to safeguard their water sources from the potential risks associated with emerging technologies.