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Board schedules fast‑track task force on carbon sequestration ordinances amid one‑year moratorium
Summary
The board discussed forming a task force to evaluate risks to water resources from underground carbon dioxide storage and to draft local ordinances; members said the process will move quickly to produce recommendations before the county's one‑year moratorium expires.
Champaign County board members discussed plans to form a Carbon Sequestration Activities Task Force to evaluate potential risks to groundwater and to draft comprehensive local ordinances regulating subsurface gas storage and carbon sequestration.
The proposed mission, read by the board member sponsoring the item, states the task force will “protect public health and safety by evaluating the potential vulnerability of water resources from underground carbon dioxide storage and sequestration, and developing comprehensive ordinances to regulate carbon sequestration and gas storage activities within Champaign County.” The sponsor said he anticipates roughly four task‑force meetings and emphasized a science‑based approach.
Board members agreed the timeline must move quickly because a one‑year moratorium on sequestration activities is already in effect. The sponsor and county staff said the task force will prepare materials for the zoning board of appeals and ELUC before recommendations return to the full board. Members were urged to forward names of residents or experts interested in serving on the panel; the formal vote to create the task force and appointments was expected to appear on the board consent agenda the following week.
One board member asked staff to avoid placing the item on the consent agenda because public discussion is likely; the sponsor acknowledged that and said the board would have members put forward and vote on the appointments in the coming meeting.
No vote to create the task force was recorded at the meeting; board members were briefed on scope, timeline and next steps.
