ADM has halted carbon dioxide (CO2) injections at its Decatur carbon capture facility after discovering a second leak.
The company announced the temporary suspension in a statement to WCIA, explaining that they identified brine movement to different underground layers 5,000 feet deep.
This incident follows a previous leak that prompted the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a proposed enforcement order accusing ADM of violating federal regulations.
In response to the latest leak, ADM informed the EPA of their decision to pause CO2 injections and outlined plans for further diagnostic testing over the next two weeks.
The EPA concurred with ADM’s decision and requested additional information about the leak and the company’s operational resumption plans.
The leaks have raised significant concerns among lawmakers and environmental groups about the safety of the Mahomet aquifer, a sole-source aquifer that would be irreplaceable if contaminated.
Relevant: ADM Addresses EPA Violation Notice Regarding Carbon Sequestration Project
Critics, like Andrew Rehn of Prairie Rivers Network, have argued that the ADM incidents highlight the risks associated with carbon sequestration projects, particularly those located near vital water sources.
“If this happens at ADM, a company with years of CCS experience, what will happen when more projects are launched? The Mahomet Aquifer is simply too important to gamble with, and we need an immediate ban on carbon sequestration projects beneath it,” Rehn said.
Governor J.B. Pritzker echoed ADM’s decision to halt operations for investigation, emphasizing the importance of the state’s regulations governing carbon capture processes.
While ADM officials have assured that the latest leak poses no threat to surface or groundwater sources, the incidents raise questions about the long-term viability and safety of carbon capture technology.
Read more: ADM Faces EPA Violations Following Carbon Capture Leak
