ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS INJUNCTION IN LAWSUIT OVER 2025 ASPHALT SPILL IMPACTING CHICAGO SANITARY AND SHIP CANAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS INJUNCTION IN LAWSUIT OVER 2025 ASPHALT SPILL IMPACTING CHICAGO SANITARY AND SHIP CANAL

April 02, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced an agreed preliminary injunction was entered in a lawsuit his office filed against Petroleum Fuel & Terminal Company (PFTC) after a February 2025 incident caused approximately 4,000 barrels of liquid asphalt to spill into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The preliminary injunction requires the defendant to complete cleanup of the canal and area surrounding its facility, located in suburban Forest View, Illinois.

PFTC - owned by St. Louis-based Apex Oil Co. - has operated an oil terminal and storage facility at 4805 S. Harlem Ave. in Forest View since at least 1993. The facility sits in an industrial area next to the canal, a 32-mile waterway that connects the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River.

"The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is an important waterway teeming with wildlife," Raoul said. "I am committed to ensuring PFTC fully abates this spill under the supervision of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, preventing any future harm to the public's health and the environment."

In February 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started an investigation after observers noted an oil sheen in the canal. The asphalt discharge was found to have been caused by the failure of a heated pressure valve connected to an above-ground storage tank at the facility. The EPA executed an order with PFTC requiring the development and implementation of a work plan to remove the spilled asphalt. Contractors from PFTC worked under this order until Nov. 4, 2025. On Dec. 5, 2025, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) issued a violation notice to PFTC and referred the matter to the Attorney General's office.

"This preliminary injunction provides assurance the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal will be properly remediated despite U.S. EPA's decision to walk away from overseeing the clean-up response of the 2025 asphalt release," said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. "Illinois EPA will continue to utilize state resources and authorities to ensure PFTC takes all necessary steps to address the asphalt release and related impacts."

Raoul's lawsuit is seeking to ensure PFTC completes the cleanup of the canal, complies with laws that protect the environment and public health, and takes steps to prevent future violations. The lawsuit also seeks appropriate civil penalties, as defined by state statute, and payment of IEPA's costs in overseeing the remediation.

Attorney General Raoul's Environmental Enforcement Division, which enforces civil environmental laws, has recovered millions of dollars from polluters and required companies to undertake environmental improvement projects in communities impacted by pollution. Raoul encourages residents to report environmental justice and other environmental concerns to his office by emailing [email protected].

Assistant Attorneys General Taylor Desgrosseilliers and Roger Johnson are handling this case for Raoul's Environmental Law Bureau.