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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

LUBA Remands Expansion Decision

Yamhill County must take a second look at Waste Management's application to expand operations at Riverbend Landfill following a decision by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).  The decision, released today, returns ("remands") the case to the County Board of Commissioners (BOC) to "conduct a new evaluation of the evidence free of ... errors...."

The LUBA decision means the BOC will likely have to reopen the case for more evidence -- from Riverbend, which clearly failed to meet its burden the first time around.  "Burden" is the legal term for identifying the party that must provide the evidence supporting a decision.  In this case, LUBA said, Riverbend is that party.  But instead of requiring Riverbend to prove that an expanded landfill would not unduly impact area farms, the BOC looked to the farmers and other expansion opponents to prove that the landfill's impacts would be significant.

That, LUBA said, was wrong. 

The Board took exception to the County's treatment of farmers who testified about problems that occurred on their farms as a result of the landfill's presence.  According to LUBA, the County mistakenly required farmers to demonstrate that the landfill significantly increased their costs of doing business -- instead of requiring Riverbend to prove that the landfill did not have a significant impact on farm practices.

"Flaws" that LUBA identified in the BOC's reasoning included:
  • shifting the burden of proof from the landfill to farmers;
  • imposing a higher evidentiary standard on expansion opponents than on Riverbend (eg, farmers were required to submit "compelling" evidence while Riverbend's evidence merely had to be plausible);
  • discounting farmers' testimony about farm impacts unless that testimony specifically quantified the harm the farmers experienced, while crediting similar but unquantified evidence from Riverbend;
  • overreliance on a study submitted by Riverbend;
  • and more.

Although the BOC might be able to fix some of these flaws by sifting through the evidence already presented in the case and making new findings, some issues would have to be resolved in opponents' favor.  For example, LUBA determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that birds attracted to the landfill did no more harm to area farms than migrating birds in general.  LUBA suggested that "a study of bird populations on and near the landfill, particularly compared to a study of bird populations on similar farm lands distant from the landfill, would seem to be both feasible and highly useful...."  Because bird populations and predation change over the course of the year, a year-long study might be required.

LUBA rejected several other arguments advanced by expansion opponents.  Either Riverbend or opponents could appeal the decision to the State Court of Appeals.  Any appeal must be filed within 21 days (ie, by December 1, 2015).



  

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Let's Talk Trash

This Wednesday, November 4, at 7:00 PM in the evening, Portland Metro will be talking trash.

What our trash says when we’re gone” is part of the ongoing “Let’s Talk Trash” series put on by Metro.  Co-host for Wednesday's segment is the Oregon Historical Society.  The free event, which will feature a panel of trash experts, will be held at the Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park Avenue, in Portland.

This is a great opportunity to tell Metro not only what trash you don't want to leave behind, but where you don't want to leave it.

Is it environmentally sound to dump garbage on a river?  Of course not.  But Waste Management would have you and everyone who lives in Portland Metro believe that their trash is hauled away to a safe depository where it will never harm the water, the soil, the air, or the next generation.

It's hard to blame the people who live and work in the Metro area.  Most of them have no idea how much of their trash makes its way to Riverbend.  Video on the Metro Website really shows only Arlington as the final resting ground for most of Metro's trash.  Even the PR for Wednesday's event reads as if all Metro's garbage heads east (emphasis added):

"The Oregon Historical Society and Metro invite you to a discussion about roles of landfills in dealing with our region’s waste. Where were they located and what is there now? How did we wind up deciding to send garbage to Eastern Oregon? What role will landfills play in our future? No mention of Riverbend or the South Yamhill River anywhere.

Stop the Dump will be at the meeting, bringing hand-outs and information to share with people who don't yet know how badly Metro is green-washing them.  Join us!  Help educate the people who send their waste to us about the environmental harm they are doing.

To learn more, contact Ken Ray at 503-797-1508 or by email at ken.ray@oregonmetro.gov or visit http://www.oregonmetro.gov/news/lets-talk-trash-event-what-our-trash-says-when-were-gone and http://www.oregonmetro.gov/public-projects/solid-waste-roadmap/lets-talk-trash.