The Benton County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 22 heard a de novo appeal from Republic Services seeking a conditional use permit to expand the Coffin Butte Landfill (case LU‑24‑027). County planning staff recommended approval with three phased groups of conditions — preconstruction, construction and ongoing performance — and said those conditions are intended to keep the expansion from causing “serious interference” with adjacent uses or the character of the area.

The recommendation framed the review as limited to the county’s land‑use authority. As planning director Petra Sheets told the board, the county must focus its decision on “the proposed use,” its location and how the proposal meets applicable Benton County Code criteria. Staff emphasized that state and federal agencies (notably the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and EPA) have primary authority over air and water quality permits and that the county should require those permits before any ground‑disturbing work begins.

Staff presented a package of technical review and recommended conditions developed with third‑party consultants. The recommended preconstruction requirements include obtaining applicable state and federal permits, two years of baseline groundwater monitoring for the expansion area before excavation, and an initial county‑funded compliance monitoring arrangement. Construction and ongoing operational conditions address noise limits and hours of operation, odor monitoring and third‑party verification, limits on working face size and cover practices, litter control, visual screening, fire mitigation and a maximum fill elevation for the expansion cell. Staff said compliance funding would begin once a final decision is effective and proposed $80,000 per year to support county monitoring and enforcement capacity.

Republic Services’ representatives said they support staff’s recommendation and the conditions. Special counsel Jeff Condit told the board, “We agree with the staff report, and agree with all of the conditions of approval.” Area Vice President Brian Roop and operations managers for the company described technical studies the company submitted and said their team has revised the proposal to reduce the expansion footprint and to preserve Coffin Butte Road.

The hearing drew extended public comment for and against the expansion. Supporters — including regional haulers, trade association representatives and several city officials — said the facility is a necessary regional disposal site and warned of higher rates, greater truck miles and increased illegal dumping if the county denies the expansion. Opponents raised health and environmental concerns: methane plumes visible by satellite, odors, leachate volumes discharged for treatment, potential impacts to springs and private wells near Tampico Ridge, fire risk and doubts about enforcement of conditions.

No decision was made. The chair announced the hearing will be continued to Nov. 4, 2025 at 1 p.m. for deliberation and decision; testimony and technical questions will resume in later sessions as needed.

"The applicant/appellant has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that all of the relevant approval criteria have been met," staff counsel told the board at the hearing. The board reserved time for detailed questions of staff and applicant experts, and several county commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on how conditions would be monitored and enforced.

Next steps: the record remains open for materials submitted at or prior to the hearing and the board will reconvene on Nov. 4 to deliberate and decide on LU‑24‑027.