CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed a lawsuit against Trump International Hotel & Tower (Trump Tower) in Chicago, alleging its operations violate environmental laws through its release of millions of gallons of water into the Chicago River.
According to the Attorney General's Office, Trump Tower is failing to comply with environmental laws through its releasing of water into the Chicago River without the required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Trump Tower also allegedly pulls in nearly 20 million gallons of water from the Chicago River to cool the building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems without the federally required studies to show fish and other aquatic organisms are not getting trapped in its intake screens, Madigan's office said.
“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,” Madigan said in a statement. “I filed my lawsuit to make sure Trump Tower cannot continue violating the law.”
The Sierra Club and Friends of the Chicago River also plan to file lawsuits against Trump Tower in violation of the Clean Water Act, according to the Attorney General's Office.