DEQ opens public comment period on Riverbend Landfill proposal; public hearing set for May 2
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has opened a public comment period on a proposed modification to the final grading plan for Riverbend Landfill. DEQ will also hold a public informational meeting and public hearing on the proposed plan at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2 at the McMinnville Senior Center, 2250 NE McDaniel Lane in McMinnville.
The owner of the landfill, Waste Management, is proposing to modify the slopes of a 20-acre portion of the landfill. The proposal involves construction of a 5-foot tall berm uphill from the existing perimeter berm. An impermeable cover would be placed over the 20-acre area and waste would be placed over this new overliner (which serves as a liner beneath new waste and a cover over existing waste).
The additional waste would be placed at a maximum slope of 3 to 1 (horizontal to vertical). Because of waste settlement, this slope would eventually flatten to less than 3.5 to 1. The modification would allow capacity for an additional 490,000 cubic yards of waste.
DEQ reviewed this application with the help of a seismic consultant, and has concluded that it meets state and federal regulatory requirements, including those for seismic stability.
People can comment on the proposal at the hearing or at any time during the public comment period. Send comments to DEQ by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 8. Comments can be emailed to schwarz.bob@deq.state.or.us. For more information on Riverbend Landfill: www.oregon.gov/deq/Programs/Pages/Riverbend-Landfill.aspx
Contact
Greg Svelund, Public Affairs Specialist, Bend, 541-633-2008, svelund.greg@deq.state.or.us