Illinois Sues Trump Tower Over Wastewater Discharge

Illinois is bringing Trump Tower to court over wastewater discharge in the Chicago River.

“The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago has discharged millions of gallons of warm water into the city’s iconic river without a permit, putting fish and other aquatic life there at risk, the Illinois attorney general contended in a lawsuit filed this week,” The New York Times reported.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan alleges in the suit that Trump Tower’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit expired on August 31, 2017. Despite the expiration of the permit, the operation has continued to discharge nearly 20 million gallons of water per month. The waste consists of water that was used for cooling, the report stated. The suit was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County. 

“Additionally, the lawsuit said Trump Tower has failed to submit the results of studies that are meant to show the effect of the building’s water intake system on the Chicago River and its fish; such results should have been sent to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2013, according to the attorney general’s office,” The New York Times reported.

Madigan discussed the significance of the lawsuit in a statement.

“Trump Tower continues to take millions of gallons of water from the Chicago River every day without a permit and without any regard to how it may be impacting the river’s ecosystem,” she said. “I filed my lawsuit to make sure Trump Tower cannot continue violating the law.”

The Trump Organization responded to the lawsuit with a statement, per The Chicago Tribune.

“We are disappointed that the Illinois attorney general would choose to file this suit considering such items are generally handled at the administrative level. One can only conclude that this decision was motivated by politics," the statement said.

The Tribune added that Madigan is not running for re-election. The Illinois EPA referred the suit to her.