Our Work: Putting People and Planet First

Climate Justice Part II:

Fighting Against the False Solution

of Carbon Capture and Storage

When we organized to pass the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, IPA, along with other downstate grassroots groups, demanded a new "pillar" be added to the work of the state climate table--that we would fight against false solutions. CEJA focused on the equitable buildout of truly renewable energy, but we knew that corporations often "spin" their dirty practices to appear "green."

Carbon Capture and storage is the poster child of a dirty and dangerous practice being spun by the fossil fuel industry as "climate saving." In reality, it perpetuates the use of fossil fuels. And Central Illinois is in the crosshairs.

Scroll down to learn about Carbon Capture and Storage- what it is, why we don't want it, and IPA's efforts to stop it.

Make Polluters Pay

Have you ever noticed that you don't see power plants and refineries near wealthy gated communities? That's because the rich and powerful have the money and influence to say "not in my back yard."

We have fought against the coal-fired power plants placed in urban and rural communities where the residents are working two or three jobs just to make ends meet and don't have time or energy to fight a battle they don't think they can win. But they are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

IPA leaders think it's about time to make polluters pay. This extends our Climate and Environmental Justice to Economic Justice for communities that have suffered first and worst.

We are joining with other groups to put pressure on decision-makers to finally make polluters pay.

Medicare for All

IPA is joining with our sister organization One People's Campaign to hold listening sessions on what everyday Americans want in their Healthcare. And we're getting an earful!

DID YOU KNOW...

30 million Americans have no healthcare at all.
Medical bills account for 40% of bankruptcies in the United States.
The U.S. has the highest per capita spending on healthcare in the world.
The U.S. has a higher infant mortality and lower life expectancy than 32 (out of a total of 38) OECD* countries.
In 2024, insurers in the U.S. health marketplace denied one in five claims.

People are telling us they want Healthcare, NOT an insurance system designed to make profits for shareholders.

We are organizing to make this a reality.

*Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Unsafe, Untested, Unnecessary

Central Illinois is ground zero for the nation's CO2 waste.
Eight (8) of the nation's proposed CO2 waste dumps are in the IPA turf. As much as 38% of some counties' land will be on top of a toxic CO2 waste dump if the EPA approves these proposed projects. And, to date, the EPA has never denied an application.
We don't want it and we're fighting back.

Carbon Capture and Storage is the process of capturing CO2 from energy production or manufacturing, condensing it under high pressure to a supercritical state for transport via pipelines, and then pumping it deep underground for storage.

CCS is being promoted as a climate-saving endeavor, but this is far from true. The processes involved in capturing, compressing, transporting, and storing CO2 are energy-intensive. The 42 operational CCS projects worldwide have the capacity to store 0.13% of the CO2 produced ANNUALLY. In order to do even that, 40% more energy is required to capture, transport, and store CO2, and the process also increases other greenhouse gasses, particulate pollutants, and heavy metals. CCS isn’t the answer; getting off fossil fuels altogether is.

What We've Won so Far
IPA led and won the statewide fight for a ban on CCS over, through and under the Mahomet Aquifer, the state's largest aquifer and only aquifer to receive the EPA status of "sole source", meaning the aquifer is the ONLY source of water for the one million people who rely on it.

WHAT CCS & FRACKING HAVE IN COMMON

Fracking was designed to get more production out of oil and gas wells. CO2 has, to date, been used primarily for enhanced oil recovery.
Both have been largely unregulated or weakly regulated industries.
Both fail to lower greenhouse gases on any kind of scale that would impact climate change.
Both have a high propensity for leaks which pose threats to life, health, and drinking water supplies.
Both have increased pollution in environmental justice communities where most of the energy production or manufacturing related to them occurs.

State of Play

Everyday people are fighting back

McLean County

When One Earth applied for a “Special Use Permit” to store their waste CO2 in the recharge area of the Mahomet Aquifer in McLean County, IPA organized to turn dozens of leaders out to six public hearings in McLean County. IPA leaders provided most of the opposition testimony. The McLean County Board, composed of 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans, voted unanimously to deny the permit with one abstention. One Earth has stated that it will reapply. IPA leaders are already engaged in public organizing against the project.

Decatur

The first-ever "permanent" CCS site in the country is in Decatur, IL. Permanent is in quotes because the project-which has been in operation for only 13 years- has already had two leaks, one of which migrated above the capstone ADM reps said would contain it "forever."

While hiding the leak from the city, the public, elected officials, and the EPA (!!), ADM negotiated a 99-year easement from the city to expand their project. The expanded project's Area of Review (a term used to indicate the area at greatest risk for water contamination) covers 224 acres of the county's 580 acres of land, including the entire city of Decatur and Lake Decatur, the city's water supply.

Residents are angry and IPA leaders are organizing them to turn out to public meetings and to demand that the city rescind the lease. This campaign is ongoing.

New Reports by Expert Scientists Refute Industry's Claims of Safety

IPA has obtained new reports released in 2025 from two scientists with expertise in the field of CCS.

Charles Harvey, PhD. Massachusetts Institute of Technology states that CCS is still in an experimental stage and should not be used near important water sources. He cites ADM's accidents in the report.
G.M. Zemansky, PhD, Emeritus Professional Geologist and Certified Ground Water Specialist, states that Co2 injection and storage should be avoided in the recharge areas of the aquifer. This pertains directly to One Earth's request to sequester their waste in the recharge area of the Mahomet Aquifer in McLean County.

Both reports cover a variety of topics including the dangers of induced earthquakes. Both reports are available by request from Illinois People's Action.

Our CCS Policy Brief

Ongoing Campaigns

COVID/Racial Justice/Climate

IPA organized at the intersection of the COVID-19 economic crisis, racial injustice and the climate crisis to pass legislation at the state and federal levels to create jobs in the renewable energy sector leading with racial equity. Above is a photo of IPA-led action at the state fair in 95 degree heat and in the middle of the COVID crisis urging the Governor to get the Climate and Equitable Jobs Bill "across the finish line." He did!
IPA leaders and staff were involved in every level to pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), including holding listening sessions with the public to include their priorities in the bill, writing portions of the bill, negotiating the bill, and educating both the public and elected officials on the bill, and working toward its passage.
On the federal level, organizing to pass legislation similar to CEJA, whether that is the Green New Deal or THRIVE. Again, leaders have been involved from the earliest stages of legislation development.

Predatory Lending

VICTORY! After more than 15 years of direct action organizing we WON interest rate caps on consumer loans in IL. Payday and Car Title lending averaged interest rates of over 250% APR keeping low wage working families in long-term, high-cost debt. In 2019, over 400,000 families were trapped in these predatory loans. IPA was invited to the Governor's signing ceremony and received an honorary signing pen in recognition for our work (March 2021).

Additional Climate Work

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Fracking: We continue to keep our eye on fracking, organizing to keep gas buildout out of any state climate legislation. This builds on our past working which includes getting a fracking transparency bill through the Senate in 2018 before it was sidelined in the House, stopping Woolsey’s attempt to have the first high volume horizontal fracking well in the state, preventing fracking above the Mahomet aquifer which provides drinking water to a million Central Illinois residents, and spearheading a campaign that resulted in 36,000 comments to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on a fracking regulatory bill which resulted in a 400+ day moratorium.
ALEC anti-protest bill: Each year for the last several years, we have been involved in fighting ALEC-sponsored anti-protest legislation. These bills would restrict our right to engage in environmental protests.
Climate Crisis Mitigation: Our individual chapters continue to work locally to mitigate the effects of pollution and the Climate Crisis.

Immigrant Rights

We organized the “Keeping Families Together” coalition and campaign which won a “Welcoming City” ordinance in Normal in 2018. Over 800 folks have participated in public rallies, actions, hearings and demonstrations in this campaign. This work continues.

Past Campaigns & Wins

Spearheaded hundreds of people to write a Comment-A-Day to the IL Department of Natural Resources on their fracking rules that mothballed fracking in the state for 400+ days.
With Fair Economy Illinois (FEI), passed legislation that will raise $125 million by closing corporate loopholes.
Secured evening bus service in Springfield, which provides public transportation to low income, seniors, individuals with disabilities and also the environmentally minded.
Won a Living Wage referendum in Bloomington.

Saved 500 families from foreclosure through safe, sound and affordable refinancing and spearheaded a court sponsored foreclosure mediation program.
Increased community reinvestment through challenges under the CRA law.
Won driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Illinois helping create safe roads and drivers.
Helped family farms and farm communities protect their livelihood from mega-farm interests.

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