Trump Tower to pay $4.8M in settlement over Chicago River violations

Trump Tower to pay $4.8M in settlement over Chicago River violations

Trump Tower Chicago has agreed to a $4.8 million settlement after years of violating the Clean Water Act by improperly using water from the Chicago River and killing aquatic life.

CHICAGO - Trump International Hotel & Tower has agreed to pay a record $4.8 million and bring its water intake system into compliance with the Clean Water Act, following years of environmental violations related to its use of the Chicago River for cooling.

What we know:

The agreement settles a lawsuit filed in 2018 by Friends of the Chicago River, the Sierra Club, and the Illinois Attorney General, who alleged that Trump Tower’s operations killed aquatic life and violated both state and federal law. The violations were first discovered by the Sierra Club during a routine permit review.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson ruled last September that Trump Tower, located at 401 N. Wabash, violated the Clean Water Act, the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, and committed a continuing public nuisance. The court found that the building had failed to comply with environmental laws dating back to before it opened in 2008, killing "hundreds of thousands of aquatic organisms" and misreporting its environmental impact.

The settlement includes $1.5 million in penalties to the state, $300,000 in attorneys’ fees, and $3 million toward a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). The SEP will fund fish habitat restoration in the Chicago River and be administered by Friends of the Chicago River.

"A great day for Chicago"

What they're saying:

"Friends of the Chicago River is extremely pleased that much of the money to be realized with this settlement can be used to create and restore habitat in downtown Chicago for fish and other aquatic wildlife," said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. "Friends will work closely with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Chicago to assure the benefits of the settlement are brought home and the healing process can begin."

The court had earlier found that Trump Tower, which can draw an estimated 21 million gallons of water from the river daily, failed to use systems designed to minimize harm to aquatic life, misreported its water usage by about 44% for more than a decade, and operated without proper permits.

"Today is a great day for Chicago, and the terms of this agreement are an important step forward in protecting the Chicago River and holding polluters accountable," said Jack Darin, Sierra Club Illinois Chapter Director. "We applaud Attorney General Raoul and the public interest attorneys who won justice for our Chicago River."

The $4.8 million settlement is believed to be the largest Clean Water Act-related resolution in Illinois state court history.