BENTON COUNTY, Ore. - The heated debate over the Coffin Butte landfill expansion is making moves as Benton County Commissioners prepare to hear an appeal on Oct. 22. This decision will be crucial for both Republic Services and local residents.

Republic Services seeks to extend the landfill's operational life adding a second landfill southward, in order to add around six years to the lifespan of the site. However, residents argue that less than 7% of the landfill's waste originates from Benton County, the rest coming from surrounding counties and even Washington State, leaving them to bear the environmental burden.

"This is the last landfill that Republic Services is running [in Oregon], and they're likely to bring in a lot more, which is going to reduce the percentage of garbage that's c

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