An Illinois Judge has found Trump’s Chicago Hotel liable for Violating State Environmental laws, because the Hotel is sucking in Chicago River Water to Cool its Air-Conditioning Systems without a Valid Permit.
That Ruling, from Cook County Circuit Court Judge, Sophia Hall, stems from a Lawsuit that the Illinois Attorney General’s Office filed against Trump’s Hotel in 2018.
The Attorney General’s Office said the Trump International Hotel, a Glass Tower on the City’s downtown Riverfront, sucks in more than 19 Million Gallons of River Water a day, and Returns the Water, Warmer, back to the River. The Trump Hotel had obtained a Permit for this System, but Missed a 2017 Deadline to Renew it.
Because of that, the Attorney General’s Office said, the Permit Expired and the Hotel has been in Violation of the Law for more than Three years.
In her Ruling, released Friday, the Judge agreed that Trump’s Hotel had Violated the Law. But she did Not set a Penalty, saying that “will be addressed in subsequent hearing.”
The Attorney General’s Office has asked for the Maximum Penalty: $50,000 each for Two Violations, and an extra $10,000 for each Day the Violations persisted. In theory, that could add up to more than $12 Million in Fines. But People familiar with the Case said that Fines in such circumstances were rarely that High.
Trump’s Company has called the Suit Politically Motivated, and said that the State has given other Violators a Break when they Missed similar Deadlines.
A Spokeswoman for Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul (D), said Raoul’s Office was Pleased with the Judge’s Ruling, but that “this does not conclude the litigation.” “We will continue to seek to hold the defendants accountable for violations of Illinois’ environmental laws that jeopardized the quality of the Chicago River,” said the Spokeswoman, Annie Thompson.
The Lawsuit against Trump’s hotel was filed in 2018, under Raoul’s Predecessor, Lisa Madigan (D).
The Case is one of a raft of Legal Challenges that Trump is now facing, which also include an Impeachment Trial in the Senate, Two Investigations into Trump’s Finances in New York, a Lawsuit over Trump’s use of Inaugural-Committee Funds in Washington, and a Case in North Carolina against Trump and Three of his Kids for Cheating Investors in a Sales Operation.
The Chicago Case does Not appear to be the Biggest of these Legal Threats. But it is Unusual because it was so Self-Inflicted. Trump’s Hotel had a Deadline of April 1st, 2017, to Renew its Permit. Instead, the Attorney General said, the State did Not receive the Application until May 26th. That Lapse led the entire Permit to Expire and brought on the Lawsuit.
Environmentalists say that Water-Intake Systems like the Ones at Trump’s Hotel can Harm Fish by Trapping them against Screens at Water Intakes, and Disrupt Ecosystems with unnaturally Warm Water.
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