Zug Island Pollution Lawsuit Lawsuit Tracker

Zug Island — a 188-acre industrial complex at the southern tip of River Rouge, Michigan — has been one of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes region for over a century. The EES Coke Battery facility, operated by a subsidiary of DTE Energy, produces metallurgical coke by heating coal to extreme temperatures in massive ovens. This coking process releases sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into the air. For years, the facility's SO2 emissions far exceeded the limits set by its Clean Air Act permits, exposing tens of thousands of Downriver residents to dangerous concentrations of toxic pollution. The health consequences have been devastating. Sulfur dioxide is a potent respiratory irritant that triggers asthma attacks, aggravates COPD and chronic bronchitis, and causes inflammation of the airways even at relatively low concentrations. Long-term exposure to elevated SO2 levels is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. The particulate matter and PAHs co-emitted by the coking process compound these risks, creating a toxic cocktail that has driven respiratory and cardiovascular disease rates in Downriver communities well above state and national averages. Children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable. The February 2026 EPA enforcement action — a $100 million penalty plus $20 million in community benefit funds — represents the federal government's recognition that DTE Energy's Zug Island operations have caused serious harm to an environmental justice community. The penalty is among the largest ever assessed under the Clean Air Act. But a government fine, no matter how large, does not compensate individual residents for the asthma, COPD, heart disease, and other conditions they developed from breathing Zug Island's emissions for years or decades. Individual personal injury lawsuits offer a path to direct compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and diminished quality of life caused by this exposure.