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WE NEED A PLAN, NOT A BIGGER LANDFILL

By signing this petition, we are telling Commissioners Nancy Wyse, Xan Augerot and Pat Malone to OPPOSE ANY expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill before Benton County completes a thorough, detailed waste management plan that focuses on future resilience and includes alternatives for decreasing and redistributing materials from the waste stream.

Background:
If it seems like the dump has been getting bigger faster, if it seems like there is always more garbage truck traffic and more litter, that’s because there is! For the past twenty years, other counties in Western Oregon have been closing down their landfills. Now their household and industrial waste is trucked in to Benton County. What do they know that we don’t know?

History:
March 29, 1977 is the last time a waste management plan was completed for Benton County. In it, the landfill was projected to close in the year 2000.

December 7, 2021 – Benton County Planning Commission unanimously denied LU-21-047, the application by Republic Services to expand Coffin Butte Landfill, finding that it would cause significant harm to Benton County.

Current Activity:
Republic Services says they intend to submit a new application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill north of Corvallis “soon.”

According to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality estimates, household waste from Benton County is less than 7% of what comes into the dump each year. If expansion is approved, Republic Services will be free to haul even more waste — household, commercial and industrial — into Benton County.

People say, “Trash has to go somewhere. If we don’t let them expand the dump, what alternatives are there?”

The answer is, we don’t know, because Benton County has no waste management plan. Other counties have plans that guide them through their options. It’s absurd to expand this landfill before completing a thorough plan, including alternatives for decreasing and redistributing the waste stream.

Republic Services is in a big hurry to get its expansion plan approved because of “contractual obligations to dozens of parties” outside Benton County. This is Republic’s own problem — not Benton County’s. We should not be threatened and rushed to make an irreversible decision to solve the poor planning and over-commitment issues of a huge national corporation.

Expansion would be a climate change disaster. Coffin Butte Landfill already produces lots of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and less than 60% of it is captured, according to Oregon DEQ.

Let’s take the time this important issue demands. In its latest annual report, Republic Services estimated that the existing landfill has capacity for at least 18 more years. That gives us plenty of time for a thorough study of what’s best for our county over the long run. It’s our future, not Republic’s, that’s important here.

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1,138 signatures = 76% of goal
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1,500

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Latest Signatures
1,138
Deb M.
Albany
97321
Benton
Solutions don't come from bigger (fill in the blank), but rather strategic long-term comprehensive plans that prioritize people, land, water and wildlife. Let's work on reusing, recycling, and restricting our consumption and disposal habits.
Oct 30, 2023
1,137
John R.
Corvallis
97333
Benton
Expanding this facility is beyond irresponsible. We need a landfill for this county. But we don't need to be taking garbage from all over the state.
Oct 14, 2023
1,136
Kim B.
Corvallis
97330
Benton
We need to stop taking in so much trash from outside Benton Co.
Oct 13, 2023
1,135
Maynard F.
Corvallis
97333-1825
Benton
Oct 11, 2023
1,134
Carolyn G.
Corvallis
97330
Benton
Because this is so important a decision.
Oct 11, 2023
1,133
Richard B.
Corvallis
97333
Benton
I passionately support this petition and no landfill expansion in Benton County.
Oct 11, 2023
1,132
Trish O.
Newport
97365
Lincoln
I'm signing this petition because it's the most sane action that Benton county can take on this issue. WE NEED A PLAN before we take one more step forward.
Oct 11, 2023
1,131
Herb P.
Corvallis
97339
Benton
Landfills are TOXIC WASTE DUMPS. Don't be lazy, explore the acceptable alternatives.
Oct 11, 2023
1,130
Stephen E.
Corvallis
97330
Benton
Oct 10, 2023
1,129
Emily T.
Corvallis
97333
Benton
I live in Corvallis and want other alternatives.
Oct 10, 2023