Trump Hotel Pays $4.8 Million to Resolve Complaint Over Killing Fish in Chicago

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago will pay $4.8 million to resolve a complaint that it was killing fish in the Chicago River.

A system used to cool the building by drawing in river water was sucking in thousands of fish and other organisms, the plaintiffs in the case said Tuesday in announcing the settlement. The complaint was brought in 2018 by the Illinois attorney general and state environmental agency, as well as the Sierra Club and a group called Friends of the Chicago River.

“The terms of this agreement are an important step forward in protecting the Chicago River and holding polluters accountable,” said Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club’s Illinois chapter. “This vigilant defense of our water, air, and land is more important now than ever, as our federal government’s ability to crack down on polluters is disappearing before our very eyes.”

A spokesperson for the Trump hotel and tower denied wrongdoing and said the property agreed to fund a project to restore aquatic habitat as part of “amicably” resolving an enforcement action. The Trump Organization — which is owned by President Donald Trump through a trust administered by Donald Trump Jr. — developed the property and continues to own portions of it while also managing the hotel.

“This initiative will enhance and protect the river’s ecosystem, providing long-term environmental benefits for the City of Chicago, its residents, and visitors,” the spokesperson said. “With this matter now resolved, we look forward to continuing to work cooperatively with all stakeholders to support the vitality and sustainability of the Chicago River.”

The property will pay $1.5 million in state fines, $300,000 in attorneys’ fees and $3 million toward the habitat-restoration project. The settlement comes after a Cook County judge ruled in September that the tower was in violation of state and federal law.

The state agencies and environmental groups filed suit against the property after a routine permit review showed that the tower’s cooling system wasn’t in compliance with regulations that require buildings to use cooling systems that minimize impact on the river’s aquatic life, according to the Sierra Club.

Built in 2008, the property sits at the edge of the river a block away from Michigan Avenue and is located among some of Chicago’s prime real estate, including the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower. It includes retail space, a hotel and condominiums.

The property can draw in an estimated 21 million gallons (80 million liters) of water from the river every day to cool the building, according to the Sierra Club.