Big Vote: Champaign County Pauses Carbon Capture Project

In a packed meeting, Champaign County Board voted unanimously to halt new carbon capture projects beneath the Mahomet Aquifer for a year. This move follows concerns that such projects could threaten the water supply for half a million people. Andrew Rehn, a climate policy director, warned that storing carbon underground might contaminate the water. Even though there's no current site, the potential risk worried the crowd. "Everyone here represents many more people," one attendee noted. The city's attorney, Tom Yu, asked the board to finalize the moratorium because the city can't restrict such activities. Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin supported the measure, saying clean water is crucial for Central Illinois. This is just the beginning. The board will discuss a full ban in February. Meanwhile, state senators and representatives are working on a statewide ban. Recently, ADM in Decatur paused carbon injections due to leaks. Nearby counties are also considering similar measures.