Henry County Board pauses carbon storage and data center projects for 12-month review

The Henry County Board voted unanimously to pause carbon sequestration projects for 12 months, following public concerns over a proposed injection site near Galva. Lapis Carbon Solutions and Big River Resources had filed a Class VI permit with the EPA to inject CO2 into the Mount Simon Sandstone. Residents cited safety and environmental risks, pushing for more study before approval. The board also paused data center development to draft an ordinance, reflecting broader state concerns about energy demand from large-scale computing facilities. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently halted new applications for the state's data center tax incentives, citing rising energy costs. The local moratoriums give officials time to assess impacts and create regulations. The county OEM is still encouraging companies to collect data, but the pause signals a shift toward more cautious oversight of carbon storage and high-energy infrastructure projects.