Newspaper Archive

Here is a searchable archive of articles, columns and letters-to-the-editor about the Coffin Butte Landfill and Republic Services, as well as relevant articles about waste management and other landfills – from local to national. We will be adding to this in the future, so check back periodically!

Date Published Source Title LinkSummary
2022-8-16Corvallis Gazette-TimesAS I SEE IT – Kicking the (trash) can down the road – Becky Merja2022-7-17 – AS I SEE IT – Kicking the (trash) can down the road – Becky MerjaA quote from a letter in opposition to landfill expansion talking about how the date of closure has been delayed repeatedly turns out not to be from the 2021 expansion application… but from 1973.
2022-07-17Albany Democrat HeraldAS I SEE IT – Assessing our trash future in Benton County – Ken Eklund2022-7-17 – AS I SEE IT – Assessing our trash future in Benton County – Ken EklundCoffin Butte is taking in 1 million tons of trash per year. Only 6.6% comes from Benton County, however Benton County takes on 100% of the risk and environmental cost. Many of the conditional use permit guidelines are not being followed including leachate treatment onsite and screening the dump from the roadways.
2022-03-04Albany Democrat HeraldLETTERS – Why is only written testimony accepted – Mark Yeager2022-3-4 – LETTERS – Why is only written testimony accepted – Mark YeagerThe Board of Commissioners decision only to allow written testimony is contrary to Section 51.840(1) of the county development code, wherein it states that during an appeal hearing “Any person may appear and be heard.”
2022-02-25Corvallis Gazette-TimesLETTERS – Coffin Butte needs better management – Camille Hall2022-2-25 – LETTERS – Coffin Butte needs better management – Camille HallExpanding the landfill is just doing business as usual. What happens when the expansion fills up? What will the cost of managing the used up dump and will Benton County residents be on the hook to replace it? We should be looking at more efficient ways to dispose of trash.
2022-01-27Albany Democrat HeraldEDITORS MAILBAG – Take time to look into expansion – Amy Luhn2022-1-27 – EDITORS MAILBAG – Take time to look into expansion – Amy LuhnAs county residents, we need to ask ourselves what is in our best interest? Is it in our best interest to double the size of an already huge landfill? Who does this benefit besides Republic Services stockholders?
2021-12-29Albany Democrat HeraldAS I SEE IT – Editorial coverage hits new low – Grant Carlin2021-12-29 – AS I SEE IT – Editorial coverage hits new low – Grant CarlinPoints out unfair editorial coverage of the recent Conditional Use Permit hearings including a misrepresentation of the facts. Grant also points out that our garbage collection rates may actually go down if we closed the landfill as that is what happened in Yamhill county when they closed their landfill and a new collector took over.
2021-11-26Corvallis Gazette-TimesAS I SEE IT – Do math on the landfill scheme – Ken Eklund2021-11-26 – AS I SEE IT – Do the math on the landfill scheme – Ken EklundRepublic Services is trying to avoid opening up the next planned cell in the rock quarry because they want to continue to make money off of the lease to Knife River. As part of the expansion, Republic is demanding a removal of the volume cap, this means they could bring in as much waste as they want, filling up any expansion area much faster with garbage from anywhere, most of which is already not coming from within Benton County. This would be an unprecidented loss of local control over the landfill and its growth rate.
2021-10-26Corvallis Gazette-TimesLETTERS – Reevaluate future of landfill site – Becky Merja 2021-10-26 – LETTERS – Reevaluate future of landfill site – Becky MerjaCall to testify to vote against the expansion of the landfill. Points out that the Coffin Butte quarry is already permitted for additional trash and expanding across Coffin Butte road puts residents’ safety at risk since an emergency evacuation route would be permanently sealed off.
2021-08-29Albany Democrat HeraldLETTERS – Benton County taking the garbage – Joel Geier2021-8-29 – LETTERS – Benton County taking the garbage – Joel GeierGarbage is coming all the way from the state of Washington. Discussions with SWAC reveal that an expansion would likely lead to taking even more waste from the Portland Metro area.
2020-10-18St. Louis Post-DispatchMallinckrodt may be forced to help with the cost of nuclear waste cleanup2020-10-18 – St. Louis Dump – Cleanup – Republic Attempting to Avoid cost of RemediationAfter the 2018 decision by the EPA to clean up the West Lake landfill Superfund site in Bridgeton, Missouri, Republic Services filed a variety of lawsuits to spread out the cost for the cleanup.
2019-05-15The Browsville HeraldCity responds to GMS lawsuit2019-5-15 – Brownsville TX Lawsuit – Improper Award to RepublicExisting waste company (GMS) files lawsuit against city commissioners saying they orchastrated an effort to award a lucrative new contract to Republic Services. Secret recording of counsel meeting has commissioner De Leon stating that he was angry GMS didn’t donate to his campaign. Another commissioner’s husband has a lucrative contract to wash Republic Services trucks. Her husbands business is set to grow if Republic is awarded the new contract.
2018-12-16Corvallis Gazette-TimesPrice hike scaled back 2018-12-16 – Gazette-Times – Price Hike Scaled BackLandfill operator plans more modest increase to the tipping fees. Minimum fee will be a flat $40. Residents are looking at a $11 price jump instead of a $57 price jump. Republic siting the reason for the hike was to limit private loads which slow down its trucks and the efficiency of its operations.
2018-12-14Corvallis Gazette-TimesLETTERS TO THE EDITOR – Landfill charge is short sighted 2018-12-14 – LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – Landfill charges shortsighted – multiple writersBenton County Board of Commissioners agreed to triple the tipping fees at the dump from $28.75 to $85.75. “To date, the county seems to have primarily listened to the Republic Services storyline, rather than thoroughly considered community impacts. It is the county’s responsibility to manage, i.e. minimize the landfills impact on Benton County citizens”
2018-09-27St. Louis Post-DispatchEPA releases strategy to clean up West Lake 2018-9-27 – EPA St Louis Clean-up Decision205 million dollar cost to clean up the radioactive waste being threatened by an ongoing fire in a neighboring Bridgerton Landfill, owned by Republic Services. That fire has come within several hundred yards of the radioactive material. It has been slowed by a cooling system placed in the landfill. Cleanup to take 4 1/2 years. Allocation of cost will be divided among several public and private parties including Republic Services.
2016-05-05St. Louis Post-DispatchTrial is delayed in Koster suit over landfill 2016-5-5 – St. Louis Dump Fire Lawsuit – Ongoing fire may reach radioactive wasteMissouri AG filed lawsuit against Republic Services in 2013, trial delayed due to Republic moving landfill lawsuit to federal court.
2013-01-11The Akron BeaconLandfill Seethes beneath surface 2013-1-11 – Akron Ohio Dump fireRepublic Services dump fire in Akron Ohio could go on for years, EPA says.