CHICAGO (WAND) — The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a proposed enforcement order to Archer Daniels Midland Co. for alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act related to the company’s carbon sequestration injection project in Decatur.
The EPA alleges the company violated its Class VI Underground Injection Control permit when injected fluid migrated into an unauthorized zone roughly 5,000 feet deep. The information that the EPA has reviewed does not suggest any threat to drinking water in the area.
ADM takes CO2 produced at its facilities, compresses it into a liquid, and injects it around a mile underground so it is not released into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. This process is called carbon sequestration or carbon capture storage (CCS).
ADM Provided the following statement to WAND News:
"We have been working closely with the U.S. EPA throughout this process and are committed to complying with the AOC. At no point was there any risk to underground drinking water or public health."
The proposed order would require ADM to take compliance measures at its well, including implementing provisions of the permit’s emergency and remedial response plan. These measures include identification and implementation of remedial actions. The order would also require a comprehensive evaluation of the fluid migration and that the company take the necessary steps to address the alleged violations.
Nearby public water systems draw from the Lake Decatur reservoir or use wells less than 110-feet deep. The fluid movement happened at approximately 5,000 feet below ground level, according to the EPA. This means the underground drinking water source is separated from the fluid by almost a vertical mile and that it is protected by layers of rock.
Public water systems in the area will continue to monitor and report on contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and have been advised to monitor and track secondary water quality criteria, such as taste and odor.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that carbon management projects are designed, built, and operated safely and responsibly, and in a way that reflects the best science and responds to the needs and inputs of local communities,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore.
The agency said that fluid migration was caused by holes in one of ADM’s monitoring wells. The movement of fluid into an unauthorized zone is an alleged violation of the EPA’s underground injection regulations and ADM’s operating permit. EPA also alleges that ADM failed to monitor the Class VI injection well in accordance with the permit.
This order is one step EPA is taking to ensure ADM is operating its carbon sequestration well in accordance with regulatory requirements. EPA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure compliance and assess potential impacts.
The agency is requesting comments on the proposed order. All comments on the proposed order must be submitted to the Region 5 Regional Hearing Clerk by October 21 for consideration.
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