Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Keaton Landfill Out Of County Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges ban on out-of-county waste at Keaton Landfill, cites truck damage and safety concerns
Summary
Pam Wickersham told Yakima County commissioners April 1 she favors a local ordinance banning out-of-county waste at Keaton Landfill, citing Canadian waste shipments referenced in a DOE report, heavy-truck damage to local roads and bus-safety concerns; no formal action was taken during the meeting.
Pam Wickersham of Yakima urged the Board of Yakima County Commissioners April 1 to adopt a local ordinance banning out-of-county waste at the Keaton Landfill, saying truck traffic and road wear pose safety and infrastructure costs.
"I am again hoping that you might consider supporting an adoption of a no out of county waste ordinance," Wickersham said during the meeting's in-person public comment period. She told commissioners she brought a Politico article and a 2022 Department of Ecology annual report indicating an influx of Canadian waste, and said she had photographed trucks with Canadian license plates navigating sharp corners — noting Allen Road as another problematic turning point.
Wickersham emphasized road-repair costs and student-bus safety where large trucks must move across lanes to navigate corners. She asked the commissioners to "take the side of the road" for residents and suggested the county would be viewed favorably for protecting local interests.
The board did not take action on Wickersham's request during the meeting; no staff report or county timetable for considering such an ordinance was provided. Wickersham identified sources (a Politico article and the Washington Department of Ecology 2022 annual report) but did not present county traffic or cost estimates during her comment.
