Shocker, new evidence about the Coffin Butte Landfill arose just days after it got an official okey-doke to expand. And spoiler-alert: there’s reliable scuttlebutt among County insiders that the new evidence is, well, exactly what everyone thinks it is.
Yep, just two days after the Benton County Board of Commissioners approved the landfill’s expansion request last November 4, Oregon’s DEQ released a report saying they would be taking an enforcement action against landfill owner and all around trash hauler, Republic Services, because of air quality emissions violations.
And here is where this reporter will register real disappointment. One would have assumed the new evidence to be the discovery of a Landfill Trash Monster emerging from the mix of dump ooze. Researchers world over would travel to our fair burgh and ogle the leachate spewing forever chemical belching marvel of new life. As the monster gained confidence walking, sightings and smells across town would become frequent. Accusations of NYMBY-ism would subside to empathy as the monster’s offspring hoofed all four corners of our once fair county. There would be public safety warnings to please not feed the monster.
But no. It’s just air quality. Nothing to smell here. Just keep moving along.
And so, here is what has happened, and what is next. On December 16, a little more than a month after the landfill exapnsion was approved, Commissioner Nancy Wyse motioned to withdraw approval. Commissioner Pat Malone seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously to approve withdrawing their prior approval.
That withdrawal of approval started a 90-day clock, and the Board now has until March 16 to complete their reconsideration of the landfill expansion.
So, come January 20, a County planning official will officially present the new evidence. The mystery of which we’ve now spoiled for you.
At that meeting, the Board will determine the manner and timeframe in which the public can submit testimony responding to the new evidence. Oregon statute says Republic Services will have an opportunity to rebut the new testimony and evidence.
The boring evidence. The not a Trash Monster evidence. Air quality, shmair quality, we reporters need monsters, we need exciting stuff, stuff that makes reporting freaking easy.
But no such luck. The January 20 meeting will be a total snooze. According to a release from the County, the Board will be looking at advice from outside counsel about a timeline for the open record period and rebuttal that aligns with state law. Those recommendations will be available to the public as part of the agenda and meeting packet published to the Board of Commissioners Meeting Portal on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Yeah, that got anticlimactic quick.
By Mike Suarez. This story included satire. No actual news or trash monsters were harmed in the reporting and writing of this story; Scout’s Honor.
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