During a recent meeting of the Decatur City Council, significant concerns were raised regarding the safety and regulatory compliance of carbon dioxide injection activities conducted by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). Environmental advocacy groups have long warned about the potential risks associated with these operations, but city officials have previously assured the public that the processes were safe.

However, revelations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have cast doubt on these assurances. The EPA cited ADM for unauthorized injection activities that violated their permit, including failures to adhere to an emergency response plan and inadequate monitoring of the injection well. Alarmingly, these infractions were not discovered until late 2023, with another incident reported in March 2024.

The council's decision earlier this year to authorize an easement for ADM to inject liquid carbon dioxide over a mile beneath city-owned land has raised further alarm. Critics argue that this decision could allow the carbon dioxide plume to extend beyond ADM's property, potentially threatening the local water supply, including the Mahomet Aquifer and Lake Decatur.

The recent Clean Energy Equitable Act, signed by Governor Pritzker, does not impose restrictions on drilling through the Mahomet Aquifer or establish necessary setbacks from personal property, leading to fears that residents' lives and properties are at risk. Community members expressed that if water supplies become contaminated, they may be forced to relocate and face significant financial losses.

The meeting underscored the urgent need for transparency and accountability in environmental practices, as residents demand stronger protections for their water resources and property rights.