McLean County leaders ask for state protection of key water supply

MCLEAN COUNTY ( 25News Now ) - The McLean County Board wants the State of Illinois to protect a primary water source from the risk of contamination.

On a voice vote, the board on Thursday adopted a resolution asking the state legislature to keep carbon capture and sequestration projects away from the Mahomet Aquifer and from the aquifer's recharge zones where water seeps underground.

McLean, Tazewell, Woodford, and Mason are among 15 Illinois counties that are above the aquifer.

At Thursday evening's county board meeting, none of the elected officials spoke on the topic.

During public comment, Susan Adams from Illinois People's Action commended the board's vigilance in the wake of CO2 leaks in which Decatur agribusiness firm ADM was found to have violated federal regulations, a federal permit, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.

"Your understanding of the sequestration process helped you realize that CO2 leaks at the ADM monitoring wells was a wake-up call as it occurred above the capstone at the Eau Claire shale that was supposed to keep the CO2 contained," Adams said.

"Maintaining clean water supply is paramount for people and businesses in McLean County and beyond," she said.

County Board members also heard from representatives of Gibson City-based ethanol producer One Earth Energy . County leaders last December rejected the company's application for three CO2 sequestration wells near Saybrook in rural eastern McLean County.

One Earth President and CEO Steven Kelly did not publicly state a position on the board's resolution, but he said his company poses no threat to the aquifer.

"As confirmed by the geological studies and experts, our wells are not located beneath the Mahomet Aquifer or near the Mahomet groundwater monitoring wells," said Kelly.

"It's in everyone's interest to support and conserve available water for our community and Illinois at-large," Kelly said.

Also representing One Earth was a company consultant, former Bloomington Fire Chief Eric West who outlined emergency response plans. West said One Earth has paid for firefighters' training and bought equipment for the Saybrook-Arrowsmith Fire Protection District and for the McLean County Emergency Management Agency.