Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his office obtained an agreed immediate and preliminary injunction order in his lawsuit against Fox Shore Preservation L.P. (Fox Shore) and Legacy Construction Services LLC over alleged air pollution caused by the disturbance of materials containing asbestos during renovation work at a four-story multi-unit residential building in Aurora, Illinois.

The agreed injunction order requires Fox Shore to clean the building according to an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency- (IEPA) approved cleanup plan and temporarily relocate all building residents during the cleanup to prevent any further exposure to asbestos fibers. Fox Shore must relocate residents until the IEPA determines that the asbestos has been addressed and it is safe for residents to return to their homes.

“Asbestos is a dangerous carcinogen that – when mishandled – threatens the health of those who are exposed,” Raoul said. “The agreed injunction order will ensure safety protocols are in place with oversight by the IEPA while asbestos remediation continues, protecting both residents and workers.”

On May 29, Raoul filed a lawsuit alleging the defendants conducted unsafe renovation work at the 94-unit residential building, located along the Fox River in downtown Aurora. Raoul’s lawsuit alleges renovation work at the facility began in December 2025 and included removing, sanding, covering and/or repairing popcorn ceilings, drywall, floor tiles and mastic. Many of these materials contained chrysotile asbestos. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos, and inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious and fatal illnesses including malignant lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Raoul’s lawsuit is based on a referral from the IEPA.

“This injunction will ensure the apartment building is properly remediated and residents will be able to return to a safe and healthy building,” said Illinois EPA Director James Jennings. “Illinois EPA will maintain its oversight to ensure the building has been properly decontaminated in accordance with this order.”

After receiving a notice from Fox Shore that its renovation project began without following asbestos regulations, officials from the IEPA inspected the site March 3 and observed 27 units in various states of renovation. Fox Shore had not submitted the required written notice of renovation to the IEPA before starting renovations, in violation of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for asbestos (Asbestos NESHAP).

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 ej@ilag.gov.

Assistant Attorneys General Bertsche, Hanohano, Johnson and Kelly are handling the case for Raoul’s Environmental Bureau.