According to an article from the Chicago Tribune, the U.S. EPA awarded the University of Illinois approximately $900,000 in grant funds to study the possible environmental impact of the underground sequestration of carbon dioxide.
The theory of carbon sequestration is that carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) can be captured at stationary sources, such as power plants, and injected underground for long-term storage. With this grant from U.S. EPA, the University of Illinois plans to study whether injecting carbon dioxide could cause changes in pressure to groundwater aquifers. Officials want to study whether carbon dioxide sequestration could cause saltwater to migrate from deeper groundwater and contaminate fresh water near the surface.
Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.
