SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — The Illinois Senate passed a bill that would prevent carbon sequestration projects from being built around the Mahomet Aquifer.

The bill had bipartisan support in the Senate, and the House has a separate bill that accomplishes the same goal. That bill — sponsored by Urbana Democrat Representative Carol Ammons — has bipartisan support, too.

“Our communities rely on the Mahomet Aquifer for safe, clean drinking water – there is no backup plan,” Sen. Paul Faraci (D-Champaign) said. “While carbon sequestration has potential, we cannot gamble with the health of almost one million people. This bill ensures we don’t put short-term projects ahead of long-term water security.”

The bill is a follow up to first of their kind regulations the legislature passed last year. Illinois’ unique geological make up makes it an ideal place for companies to store carbon emissions. The technology is often touted as a must-have for companies to meet clean energy goals.

The state’s regulations, while extensive, did not include an exemption for the ground around the sole source aquifer, however. At the time the bill passed, there was pushback from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about the risks posed by storing these emissions so close to the critical water source for a huge part of the state.

“Water is just not political. And, you know, we’ve got Republicans, Democrats, independents, everybody under the sun. And you can’t just flip a switch if you screw this up,” Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) said.

Those concerns did not turn into legislative momentum, however, until news broke of a leak at the ADM carbon sequestration site in Decatur. The ADM site was held up as the perfect example of the good the technology can do. The company has spent years storing emissions from it’s massive Decatur site underground. The Governor even went to the ADM location to sign the bill codifying the new regulations in June. It wasn’t until September that the Federal Government reported the storage site had been leaking when the Governor signed the bill.

The leak did not lead to any contamination of drinking water in the Decatur area, but it did enough to inspire action from a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the area to file bills exempting the aquifer.

Various business leaders opposed the legislation, with many saying the aquifer was not at risk.

“Carbon capture and sequestration is a safe and proven technology that is critical to decarbonizing our environment while maintaining economic growth and prosperity. Though we appreciate the willingness of the Senate sponsor to have conversations about this bill, we remain opposed to the legislation as drafted,” Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, said. “It was just last year that the General Assembly passed historic legislation to establish the nation’s most stringent carbon capture and sequestration regulations.”

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives.