Scherer-Backed Carbon Capture Law Readies Illinois to Grow New Cutting-Edge Jobs

DECATUR, Ill. – A new law passed by state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, will help position Central Illinois communities to take advantage of cutting edge, job-creating technology. The law, signed by Gov. Pritzker at Richland Community College on Thursday in Decatur, enabling underground storage of carbon dioxide in Illinois—a process known as carbon capture and sequestration (CSS).

“Our land, transportation infrastructure, and skilled workforce make Central Illinois a prime destination for this emerging technology, and the good-paying jobs that will come with it,” Scherer said. “This is another example of businesses, environmental advocates, and labor working together to make a bright, prosperous future for our communities.”

Scherer helped pass Senate Bill 1289, which will regulate the capture, transportation, utilization and underground storage of carbon dioxide. The CSS project at Decatur’s Archer Daniel Midland’s is cited by U.S. Department of Energy as one of the largest and best projects of its kind. Scherer’s measure expands these green job efforts, creating a permit framework and clarifies rock pore space ownership rights that would be used in carbon capture and sequestration. Surface property owners will retain ownership of the pore space beneath their land under the law and are entitled to just compensation for the use of their space for sequestration. It creates the Safe CCS Act, which will implement new regulatory standards around CCS projects in Illinois. These new standards will ensure that Illinois is the safest state in the union for carbon capture.

“This measure paves the way for an exciting future, in a way that is both safe and effective,” said Scherer. “CCS has vast potential, and I want to thank my colleagues and our governor for proceeding with this forward-thinking legislation.