Stop Expansion of the Harmful Coffin Butte Landfill

The Coffin Butte Landfill near Corvallis, Oregon, is under investigation for multiple environmental violations. Concerned organizations have presented compelling visuals of massive landfill gas releases and evidence of huge greenhouse gas emissions while toxic leachate makes its way into the Willamette River. Despite this, the Benton County Planning Commission and likely the Board of Commissioners will soon decide whether to allow the landfill to expand.

The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating Coffin Butte Landfill citing serious air quality concerns. Oregon DEQ is similarly pursuing air and water quality concerns. The landfill owner, Republic Services, Inc. is hoping to lock in local approval of an expansion before the results of these inquiries become public and enforcement action can be taken. We need your help convincing County government to deny the landfill’s expansion application before their review begins on April 29.

Despite a growing mountain of evidence that landfills are an environmental disaster, and this one more than most, Benton County government seems motivated to approve dump expansions because it receives money with each approval.

This is an urgent opportunity to make a real difference in the climate crisis. This expansion will cause an estimated 1-1.5 million more metric tons of CO2 equivalent to hit the atmosphere for at least 6 more years. Add your voice to oppose the expansion now.

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Please deny LU-024-27, the application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill

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I oppose LU-024-27, the expansion of Coffin Butte Landfill, because of the negative impacts such an expansion would have on the environment and because it will seriously interfere with the mostly rural character of the area. If approved, this expansion will also diminish sustainability efforts in the region, and derail alternative waste management initiatives needed to protect Oregon residents. The extent of the landfill’s negative impacts are only now beginning to be known. These impacts include unacceptable health effects from polluted air, ground, and water; PFAS and other toxics that flow from the landfill; a weakening of alternatives to waste creation; and a hastening of climate change, to name a few. It would be irresponsible to assert that expanding its operations would not seriously interfere with the air, water, wildlife, and other natural resources that we all share. For these reasons I'm urging you to deny LU-024-27.

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