County halts talks on recommended landfill site; commissioners direct review of criteria and reconvene advisory panel

Negotiations between Deschutes County and the owner/operator of the site the Solid Waste Advisory Committee recommended for a new county landfill — the site referred to in meetings as “Moon Pit” — collapsed after months of discussions, county staff told the Board of Commissioners March 19.

Negotiation breakdown: County negotiators and counsel described multiple sticking points in nine months of bargaining. County staff said the owner sought a quick closing and that questions about the availability and price of water rights, and disagreement over earnest‑money timing and nonrefundable deposits, prevented a final purchase and sale agreement. Senior counsel told the board the seller had resisted extended due diligence and earlier draft memoranda of understanding.

Advisory committee history: The landfill siting process began after the county’s 2019 solid‑waste plan and a multi‑year site assessment led by a consultant (Parametrix). The screening reduced roughly 200 candidate parcels to a short list; SWAC unanimously recommended Moon Pit in mid‑2024 after technical review and public comment.

Commissioner direction and next steps

- Reconvene SWAC: Commissioners directed staff to reconvene the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to re‑examine options rather than press on with a single negotiated purchase. Staff said the committee may need some new members and recommended outreach to prior participants.

- Re‑test criteria and size assumptions: Commissioners asked staff to model shorter‑lifespan landfills (for example, a 75‑year rather than 100‑year capacity requirement) and to re‑score sites that had previously been rejected because of size. That work will require stepping back into an earlier phase of the technical study and will add consultant and staff costs.

- Consider other options: Commissioners asked staff to (a) review previously eliminated sites for changed conditions (for example, updates to greater sage‑grouse habitat maps), (b) re‑examine out‑of‑county disposal options and long‑haul transport costs, and (c) monitor private development efforts in neighboring Klamath County that might provide an off‑site disposal option.

Budget and timing: Staff said the county has already spent about $1.4 million on the siting process to date. A full restart of the technical screening would cost “several hundred thousand dollars,” staff said; the county’s finance team believes the county could finance a large multi‑component program (diversion infrastructure plus landfill development) if the board chose that path.

Why this matters locally: Commissioners and staff emphasized that siting a landfill is a multi‑decade, high‑cost decision that carries transportation, greenhouse‑gas and land‑use impacts. County staff said alternatives — more recycling, composting and construction‑debris processing — are under evaluation and could reduce the size and cost of a new landfill.

Stakeholder response: Commissioners and staff acknowledged public concern during earlier stages of the process and told residents they would continue community engagement when SWAC reconvenes.