URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) – The League of Women Voters of Champaign County will kick off its Spring 2025 Keeping It Local series with the “Protect the Mahomet Aquifer” series. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 22, from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom.
The Mahomet Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to nearly one million people across fourteen central Illinois counties, is a vital resource for local communities, farms, and businesses. Designated as a sole source aquifer by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2015, it is the only viable water source for the region. However, the Aquifer is facing increasing threats, particularly from industrial carbon sequestration projects.
Recently, Illinois passed Senate Bill 1289, the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act, to regulate the injection of carbon dioxide into underground storage. While supporters of the bill argue that it offers strong environmental protections, concerns have been raised due to leaks from Archer Daniels Midland’s carbon sequestration project in Decatur.
The program will feature Andrew Rhen, Climate Policy Director at Prairie Rivers Network, and Pam Richart, Co-Director of the Eco-Justice Collaborative. Both Rhen and Richart work to advance clean energy policies and will share their expertise on the importance of protecting the Mahomet Aquifer.
The event will include a question-and-answer session for attendees to engage with the panelists. To join the Zoom meeting on Wednesday, January 22, from 7-8 p.m., click the following link: Zoom Link. It is free, open to the public, and recorded for later viewing. Recordings will be available on the League’s website: www.lwvchampaigncounty.org.