Residents urge Albany City Council to withhold endorsement of Coffin Butte landfill expansion

Two Benton County residents urged the Albany City Council on Sept. 22 to withhold any endorsement of Republic Services’ proposed Coffin Butte landfill expansion until the city hears fuller information and testimony from both sides.

Mark Yeager, who identified himself as a Benton County resident and a registered environmental engineer, told the council he had served on county landfill advisory groups and urged the city not to take a position “until you hear the complete picture of the dump and its expansion impacts.” He said the Benton County Planning Commission in February 2021 and again in February 2025 unanimously denied conditional use permit requests for the expansion after lengthy reviews and public testimony.

“Please do not take any position on the proposed dump expansion until you hear the complete picture,” Yeager said, noting the 2025 hearing included roughly 20 hours of presentations and about 5,000 pages of documents and comments.

Catherine Stearns, who said she lives south of Coffin Butte, listed a range of concerns she said emerged from several years of research: cancer cluster studies, unreported landfill fires, untreated leachate containing “forever chemicals” discharged to the Willamette River, a persistent methane plume over the area, and recurring roadside litter. “There is a litany of issues for you to consider before giving the expansion your endorsement,” she told the council.

Councilor Smith and Councilor McLeod both said after public comment that they want the council to hear “both sides of the story” before taking any position; the council has scheduled a presentation by Republic Services at the regular council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The speakers asked the council to consider neighborhood impacts in North Albany, which they said is most directly affected by Coffin Butte operations and any potential expansion. Yeager told the council the current landfill has roughly “12 to 14 years of existing capacity,” and he urged a regional shift away from additional landfilling toward implementable alternatives.

The council did not take action at the work session. The council’s rules prohibit discussion or decisions during the public-comment portion; staff noted Republic Services is set to present at the regular council meeting on Wednesday evening, when councilors may choose whether to take a formal position or request additional information.

Background: Coffin Butte is outside Albany city limits and is under Benton County land-use review; speakers cited the Benton County Planning Commission’s previous denials as context for urging the city to delay or decline endorsement until after further review and balanced presentations from proponents and opponents.