The Benton County Board of Commissioners announced opportunities for the public to participate in its “Talk Trash” series, a program looking at the future of sustainable materials management, solid waste and disposal in Benton County.
Since the series launched, officials said community members have volunteered thousands of hours on the county’s Solid Waste Process Workgroup to provide feedback to Benton County and key stakeholders for a constructive path forward relating to sustainable materials management and the future of solid waste disposal in the Mid-Willamette Valley, including at the Coffin Butte regional landfill.
The workgroup has developed findings and recommendations and now the community has the opportunity to weigh in about topics that affect landfill size, capacity and longevity as well as the county’s Sustainable Materials Management Plan, past Land Use Application Conditions, land use review and community education.
“Transparency and openness have been the key to this effort, and we are continuing to engage with community members who have diverse perspectives in addition to key stakeholders, Republic Services, adjacent counties, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality,” Benton County Commissioner Pat Malone said. “It is important to work with the community on a long-term strategy for solid waste and disposal.”
Upcoming opportunities to provide feedback include:
• Through March 22 — Survey to provide feedback on the workgroup’s draft recommendations.
• March 23 — Extended public comment period at a workgroup meeting, 1:30-7:30 p.m.
• April 3 — Final Workgroup report will be available online on the Solid Waste Process Workgroup webpage.
• April 4 — In-person community open house, 5-7 p.m., Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis. RSVP to pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.
• April 11 — Additional public comment period opens.