The League of Women Voters of Champaign County is set to initiate its Spring 2025 “Keeping It Local” series with a focus on protecting the Mahomet Aquifer, a critical drinking water source for nearly one million residents across central Illinois. The first event, titled “Protect the Mahomet Aquifer,” will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 7 to 8 p.m.

The Mahomet Aquifer, designated as a sole source aquifer by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2015, is the primary water supply for over 100 communities and numerous farms and businesses in fourteen counties. The aquifer’s vital role underscores its need for stringent protection, especially amidst growing threats from carbon sequestration projects aimed at reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Recent legislative efforts, including the passage of Senate Bill 1289, known as the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act, have sparked a debate. The bill regulates the injection of CO2 into underground storage but has been criticized for its inadequacies, particularly after leaks from an existing project by Archer Daniels Midland in Decatur highlighted the potential risks to water safety.

Speakers at the event include Andrew Rehn, Climate Policy Director at Prairie Rivers Network, and Pam Richart, Co-Director of the Eco-Justice Collaborative. Both experts will discuss the implications of carbon sequestration on the aquifer and the necessity of proactive measures to safeguard this irreplaceable resource.

The session will also feature a Q&A segment, allowing public interaction with the panelists. Interested participants can join the meeting via a provided Zoom link. The event is free and open to the public, with a recording to be made available on the League’s website at www.lwvchampaigncounty.org.

The League supports rigorous controls to protect drinking water supplies, emphasizing the critical nature of the Mahomet Aquifer as a sole source with no feasible alternative in case of contamination. Current proposals under consideration by the state legislature seek to ban carbon sequestration projects that could jeopardize the aquifer’s integrity.