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Commissioners briefed on Coffin Butte landfill history, permit timeline and regional sustainable materials management plan
Summary
County staff gave a history of the Coffin Butte Landfill, explained the conditional-use permit completeness and quasi-judicial timeline, and described a six‑month regional sustainable materials management plan (SMMP) task force to assess long-term options if Coffin Butte closes or expands.
Benton County staff updated the Board of Commissioners on the Coffin Butte Landfill’s history, the land-use permitting schedule for a proposed expansion, and a regional Sustainable Materials Management Plan (SMMP) task force formed to consider long-term solid-waste options.
Lede: Solid waste program coordinator Bailey Payne reviewed Coffin Butte’s operational history and recent tonnage trends; county community-development staff described the conditional‑use permit completeness review and the 150‑day quasi‑judicial review window; county staff and consultants presented a regional SMMP task force charged with short‑term deliverables through June 30, 2025.
Nut graf: The county said Coffin Butte has received more tonnage since about 2017 (after the closure of other nearby facilities) and that recycling and recovery rates have dropped locally; the planning division said Republic Services’ permit application is near completion review and that, if deemed complete, the planning commission hearings are likely to be scheduled in March, with an expected appeals pathway to the Board and possibly to the state land-use board.
Key details from staff: - Bailey Payne summarized the landfill’s history, noting waste increases after 2017 and a 2022 recovery (recycling/compost) figure of about "33,000, tons were recycled or composted." Payne said the county’s recovery rate fell to about 31.5% in 2022. - Community Development Director Petra Schutz explained the completeness review for the conditional‑use permit. If staff deems the application complete the county will begin a 150‑day quasi‑judicial review that includes tentative public‑hearing dates; the planning commission chair proposed consecutive days in mid‑March to accommodate expected public comment. - Schutz said the county expects a high likelihood of appeals to the Board of Commissioners and potentially to the state Land Use Board of Appeals regardless of the planning commission outcome.
SMMP task force: County staff said Bento n County’s “Talks Trash” process informed the SMMP work. The task force — comprised of regional solid‑waste managers, DEQ staff and county representatives — will run through June 30 to produce an assessment, success stories, options and recommendations for regional coordination on food and organics, built environment and packaging, and long‑term regional solid‑waste management. Staff emphasized the regional interdependence of coastal and valley jurisdictions if Coffin Butte’s status changes.
What happens next: Staff expects to conclude the completeness review shortly and to set planning‑commission hearing dates; the SMMP task force will continue through June 30 and deliver recommendations for possible next steps, including potential legislative, budgetary or interjurisdictional coordination measures.
Ending: Commissioners urged urgency, noting long lead times for new transfer stations or major infrastructure; staff said the SMMP is intended to help guide those longer‑term choices.
