Board reopens public record for new evidence and testimony about proposed landfill expansion

The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to reopen the record for LU-24-027 to accept new evidence related to the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill. Written comment and testimony directed to a November 6 letter from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, as it relates to the applicable criteria in the Benton County Code, can be submitted by the public until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

In a Jan. 20 public hearing to reconsider their decision on the land use case, the Board considered a recommendation from Planning Division staff to open the record to receive a DEQ letter issued after the Board voted in Nov. 2025 to approve the landfill expansion application.

Planning staff recommended a schedule for written public testimony, applicant final argument and a continuation of the hearing to March 3 for deliberations and decision. The Board approved the following timeline:

Tuesday, Jan. 20

LU-24-027 Public Record reopened to accept the Nov. 6 DEQ letter. It will remain open for 7 days to accept written evidence, argument and testimony related to the DEQ letter as it relates to applicable criteria in the Benton County Code.  

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 4 p.m.

Deadline for the County to receive written evidence, argument and testimony relating to the DEQ letter.

Beginning of new, 7-day period limited only to responses to written evidence, argument and testimony submitted during the Jan. 20-27 submission period.

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 4 p.m.

Receipt deadline for 7-day responsive open record period.

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 4 p.m.

Deadline for the County to receive the applicant’s final argument, with no new evidence.

Tuesday, Feb. 24

TENTATIVE — Staff report (if any) on new evidence published.

Tuesday, March 3, 11 a.m.

Continued reconsideration hearing and Board deliberations in the Holmes & Shipley meeting room at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

Tuesday, March 17, 9 a.m.

TENTATIVE — Adoption of findings in regular Board of Commissioners meeting and transmittal of decision on reconsideration to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. If adoption is scheduled for an earlier date, it will be announced on March 3.

Submitting written testimony

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Board of Commissioners reopened the public record for seven (7) days to collect written evidence and testimony from all parties, including the public, directed to the November 6 DEQ letter. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27.  

Following the 7-day open record period, the record will remain open for a 7-day responsive comment period limited to written submissions from all parties addressing only new issues raised during the Jan. 20-27 submission period. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3.  

There are four ways to submit written testimony:  

• Hand delivered to Board of Commissioners Office (suite 100) in the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.
• By email to landfillappeals@bentoncountyor.gov. To submit an attachment that is too large to send through email, contact pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov to request an SFTP upload link.
• Through the testimony submission form on the County’s website. Please note that the form does not allow for attachments. To submit testimony with an attachment, use the email address above. 
• Mailed to Board of Commissioners Office, P.O. Box 3020, Corvallis, OR 97339. Mailed submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Jan. 27 — the postmark will not be taken into consideration. 

More information is available at bentoncountyor.gov/coffin-butte-landfill.