Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Apr. 2 that a preliminary injunction has been entered in the lawsuit against Petroleum Fuel & Terminal Company (PFTC) following a February 2025 incident where approximately 4,000 barrels of liquid asphalt spilled into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The injunction requires PFTC to complete cleanup efforts at the canal and around its facility in Forest View, Illinois.
The case centers on an oil terminal operated by PFTC, owned by Apex Oil Co., which has been active at its Forest View location since at least 1993. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is a key waterway connecting the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River.
Raoul said, “The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is an important waterway teeming with wildlife. 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.”
According to Raoul’s office, an investigation began after observers noticed an oil sheen on the canal in February 2025. The source was traced to a failed heated pressure valve linked to an above-ground storage tank at PFTC’s facility. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initially required PFTC to develop and implement a cleanup plan; however, oversight ended in November 2025 when contractors stopped work under federal order. In December, state authorities issued a violation notice and referred enforcement action to Raoul’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.”
The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks completion of remediation work by PFTC as well as compliance with environmental laws, civil penalties as provided by statute, payment for state oversight costs, and measures aimed at preventing future violations.
The Illinois Attorney General advocated for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants and seniors according to the official website. Each year thousands of consumer complaints were handled according to their official website. Efforts also included protecting consumers, promoting safer communities, advocating for environmental issues according to their official website, extending protection efforts statewide according to their official website, partnering with law enforcement for crime victim support according to their official website, as well as offering services such as complaint filing for consumer fraud or civil rights matters according to their official website.
Assistant Attorneys General Taylor Desgrosseilliers and Roger Johnson are handling this case for Raoul’s Environmental Law Bureau.
