It was a unanimous nope. On Tuesday, March 3, the Benton County Board of Commissioners voted to deny a proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill.
County staff had issued a report recommending against approval. They cited concerns over odor control, as well as Planning Commission findings, such as fire risks and inadequate fire suppression resources, potential air and groundwater pollution, and winds that blow trash from the dump onto adjacent properties, which is potentially fatal to neighboring livestock.
The report also noted the dump probably could not be adequately monitored for environmental and human health impacts.
And, well, funny thing. Today’s death knell for the proposal came amid revelations that the landfill’s owner, trash hauler Republic Services, had been under investigation for environmental violations at the facility, and that Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ, was looking to take an enforcement action.
Which may sound like there was adequate monitoring, until one digs a little deeper. Republic had been asking to expand the dump since 2021. And the County kept telling them no.
Finally, last November, the proposal went before the Commissioners on appeal, and they approved it. Commissioners Pat Malone and Nancy Wyse voted yes, Commissioner Gabe Shepheard voted no.
But then. Two days later the state revealed it was finally following-up on years old violations uncovered by the EPA. We’ll leave it to your imagination as to why the state waited those two days. So, about a month later, the Commissioners voted unanimously to rescind and reconsider their approval, a process they finalized today.
Republic has 21 days to appeal the Commissioners’ decision to, as you probably guessed, the state. After that, this whole pile of whatever is in the dump will wind up in various subsequent legal appeals, because lawyers.
By Mike Suarez
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com