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Council adopts countywide solid and hazardous waste plan to secure grant eligibility
Summary
The council unanimously adopted the county's updated solid and hazardous waste management plan, a required five‑year document that helps the city qualify for state grant funds and guides landfill and recycling work through coordinated countywide planning.
The Walla Walla City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2025-017 on Feb. 26 to adopt the updated Walla Walla County comprehensive solid and hazardous waste management plan.
Leah Rohan, an engineer with the city, told the council the plan is a multi‑jurisdictional, five‑year planning document the state requires for cities and counties to remain eligible for certain solid waste grants and to coordinate services across jurisdictions. "This plan is required of all cities and counties within the state," Rohan said, and it includes objectives and strategies to reduce generation of hazardous waste, expand recycling and ensure efficient service delivery.
Rohan summarized the update process: the city and county hired a consultant in 2020; the county's Solid Waste Advisory Committee guided the work; the document was released for public comment and underwent State Department of Ecology review; Ecology's comments were incorporated into the version now before the council. She said the joint interlocal approach spreads costs and creates a single regional document for submittal to Ecology.
Public comment supported adoption. Aurel McFarland, who serves on the county Solid Waste Advisory Committee as a county appointee, urged continued public engagement and education on waste reduction. "Once you start to peek into the backdoor side of waste management, it is fascinating," McFarland said, urging outreach and education.
Council members thanked staff and the advisory committee for the multi‑year effort. Council Member Robinson asked whether the plan produces direct savings; Rohan said adoption preserves eligibility for grant funding—she cited an annual grant figure of about $170,000 the jurisdiction receives for landfill programs as an example of funding that would be at risk without an up‑to‑date plan.
The council voted unanimously to adopt the county plan and directed staff to incorporate local resolutions into the county document for final submittal to Ecology.
