Target: Jack Darin, Chapter Director of Sierra Club Illinois
Goal: Support efforts to protect Chicago River from bad actors.
Thousands of fish inhabiting the Chicago River were sucked into a massive structure and trapped, resulting in their deaths. This structure took more than 20 million gallons of water from the river every day for years, which means the true scale of ecological damage likely remains unknown. This destructive structure, part of a cooling system, is Trump International Hotel & Tower. A 2018 lawsuit by the state’s then-attorney general first brought attention to the issue. Since the building’s inception, its operators have been routinely accused of violating local and federal safeguards designed to protect the river, including illegally discharging overheated water into the river. Similar buildings in the region have faced no such accusations.
This incident reflects the damage done to rivers by industrial interests, as represented in this ForceChange petition. Finally, some of this damage is being reversed. A circuit judge in the affected county recently declared the Chicago Trump Tower a public nuisance. For a court order, the judge wrote that the tower ““has created and continues to create a public nuisance in violation of Illinois law” and that its intake “substantially and unreasonably interferes with the public right to fish and otherwise recreate in the Chicago River.”
Fortunately, because of this action and other cleanup efforts, the Chicago River is making a comeback. Eighty species of fish now populate the river (in the past, that number had plummeted to ten), as well as turtles, beavers, and birds that make migratory visits. Sign the petition below to thank the individuals who have helped ensure the long-term health of this vital natural resource.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Darin,
The ruling against Trump International Hotel & Tower built upon the successes already achieved in restoring and revitalizing the Chicago River. No more will marine life fall victim to reckless business entities that refuse to obey the law. Your vigilance in holding this environmental abuser accountable is appreciated.
May the Chicago River continue its trajectory toward a cleaner and safer future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: OmidGul
WTF? 20 million gallons of water everyday? Sounds more like they were bottling water to sell. Who gets 20 million gallons of water a day for free? And why did it take 6 years to stop it?
Throw Trump in the river and hope he drowns…worthless bastard!!