Judge orders McHenry man to turn over 104 acres of wetlands

A federal judge has ordered a McHenry man to surrender more than 100 acres of wetlands to the The Fox Waterway Agency to settle an improper dumping lawsuit.

Michael P. Trinski must also pay $15,000 as part of the settlement of the 2007 lawsuit that claimed he and Michael G. Hogan of Ringwood violated the Clean Water Act by causing fill or dredged material to be discharged into wetlands adjacent to the Nippersink Creek.

Trinski, the property owner, will give up 16 acres where the violation occurred south of Route 12 and east of Fox Lake Road. He will deed an additional 88 acres on Pistakee Lake south of Fortress Drive and west of Monterey Terrace in McHenry for public use.

The waterway agency, which manages the Fox River and Chain O’ Lakes, will control the land.

Hogan performed the wetland filling and dredging work for Trinski and will provide 80 hours of grading, clearing and excavating services for the waterway agency on the 16-acre parcel, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The defendants, who agreed to the settlement without admitting any liability, were accused of illegally dumping dredged or fill materials into the wetlands in 2006 without a permit.