In Response, Sen. Rose Files Bill to Ban CO2 Under the Mahomet Aquifer
Springfield, IL– In a controversial move that has drawn sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle, Governor JB Pritzker has signed Senate Bill 1289, a bill allowing carbon sequestration under the Mahomet Aquifer, a critical water source for central Illinois. Despite strong opposition from local legislators, including State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), the Governor has signed it into law without a ban on CO2 storage beneath this vital aquifer. In response, Sen. Rose filed new legislation to help protect the Mahomet Aquifer.
State Senator Rose expressed his extreme disagreement with the Governor’s decision. “Governor Pritzker’s decision to sign this bill proves that he is more worried about issuing press releases pretending to be ‘green’ than he is about the future of clean water for central Illinois. And all the while, ‘Governor Green’ is making sure that his rich buddies in big businesses are reaping big profits off this potential threat to our water,” said Sen. Rose. “By ignoring the clear dangers posed by storing CO2 beneath our most precious natural resource, the Mahomet Aquifer, his signature today on this bill isn’t just a failure of environmental stewardship, it’s a reckless gamble with our public health.”
According to Illinois Prairie Research Institute, the Mahomet Aquifer, designated as a “Sole Source Aquifer” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provides hundreds of millions of gallons of water every day to nearly 1 million people in East Central Illinois for residential, industrial, and agricultural uses. Protection and management of this groundwater resource is critical to maintain and grow the region’s economy. Concerns have been raised about the potential for carbonic acid formation from CO2 interaction with the water, which could mobilize hazardous contaminants, including heavy metals such as arsenic.
In response to Gov. Pritzker signing the bill, Sen. Rose filed a new bill, Senate Bill 3963 that bans carbon sequestration activity over the federally designated solo source Mahomet Aquifer.
“It’s beyond belief that Governor Pritzker would prioritize industry interests over the safety of our water supply,” said Sen. Rose. “It’s not like the Governor wasn’t aware of the risks. In fact, a bi-partisan group of legislators sent him a letter before this bill passed, demanding to keep the CO2 off the aquifer. The risks associated with storing CO2 under the Mahomet Aquifer are too great to ignore. This decision puts the health and safety of countless Illinois residents at risk.”
Sen. Rose urges the public to support his efforts to ban sequestration on the Mahomet Aquifer by signing a petition, now available on Senator Rose’s website, supporting SB 3963. “I encourage everyone to make their voice heard by signing this petition to keep our drinking water safe,” Rose concluded.
The passage of SB 1289 has sparked widespread outcry and raised questions about the long-term impacts of carbon sequestration on the Mahomet Aquifer. Critics argue that the bill’s approval marks a dangerous precedent for environmental policy in Illinois.
For more information and to view the letter sent by the bipartisan coalition of legislators urging Governor Pritzker to veto the bill, visit https://senchapinrose.com/letter-to-the-gov-mahomet-aquifer/. In addition, citizens can sign Sen. Rose’s petition here.