The Willamette Valley Task Force on Waste Management was established by HB 3974 to come up with a regional waste management plan for the closure of Coffin Butte Landfill, which is expected in the 2030s. Coffin Butte currently serves the entirety of Linn, Benton, Yamhill, Lincoln, and Tillamook Counties while being a major destination for trash originating from Marion and Washington counties. While a closure date seems far off, 10 years is a tight timeline for such a large transition.

The vast majority of currently approved empty landfill space in Oregon lies east of the Cascade Mountains while most waste generation occurs in the Willamette Valley. It will take major infrastructural investments to create a spoke and hub system capable of centralizing waste streams from the counties currently served by Coffin Butte and shipping out east. This major investment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it needs to come alongside investments in greener waste management. 

The task force will be meeting throughout the rest of the year before landing on a final recommendation to the legislature for the 2027 session. This is the first opportunity for public testimony before the task force and a critical time to ensure environmental health and sustainability are a focus of that recommendation.