News Local/State

ADM Permitted To Store Carbon Dioxide Underground

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a permit for Archer Daniels Midland Company to store carbon dioxide deep underground in Decatur, the agency said Friday.

The permit will allow ADM to store 1.1 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, according to an EPA news release. The agribusiness company plans to capture the CO2 from its Decatur ethanol plant.
 
CO2 is a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. Storing it underground is intended to keep it out of the atmosphere.
 
ADM can start drilling its well in November but must demonstrate the well's integrity before it can begin CO2 storage.
 
The permit is the second ever granted by the EPA.

Earlier this month, the agency approved the FutureGen clean-coal project's plan to begin underground CO2 storage in western Illinois.