As part of its Air Quality (Title V) permit obligations, Riverbend Landfill is required to hold community meetings twice a year. The next such meeting is now scheduled for November 30 at 7:00 PM.
This meeting is significant because the permit itself is up for renewal. Given the way Riverbend has resisted responsibility for methane leaks in the past (see earlier articles), community members are on edge, nervous that the state Department of Environmental Quality, which both writes and enforces the permit, will use vague language that will let the dump continue to skirt environmental laws.
The Environmental Quality Commission, which oversees DEQ, is meeting November 17 & 18 and will take public comment beginning at 3:20 PM on the 17th, also virtually. This will be an excellent opportunity to tell DEQ to write a strong permit that protects our air and makes the landfill operator liable for any emission release above the permitted total.
To attend the Title V meeting, contact mramos14@wm.com to "receive log-in credentials" and be placed on the email notification list. Nick Godfrey, dump manager, has promised to send out email notices telling the public how to attend the meeting on November 15. Notices are also being posted in the Newberg Graphic and Yamhill Valley News-Register.
In the past, the virtual Title V meetings have been held on a Microsoft platform that many would-be participants have had difficulty logging onto, but there has been a phone-in option.
To address the EQC, one must "sign-up" at the start of the Public Forum agenda item scheduled for 3:20 PM, at either:
- Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84116951899 or
- Toll-free telephone access: 877-853-5257
- Meeting ID: 841 1695 1899
Speakers are asked to limit comments to three minutes or less.
To contact the EQC outside of the public forum, contact Stephanie Caldera or call 503-229-5301.
