Solid Waste Management Facility Location Proposal

Proposal Summary

On June 12, 2024, the Deschutes County Department of Solid Waste presented the Solid Waste Advisory Committee’s unanimous recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners to select and move forward with the Hooker Creek “Moon Pit” property as the preferred location for Deschutes County’s future Solid Waste Management Facility.

A new Solid Waste Management Facility will be needed once Knott Landfill, Deschutes County’s only landfill, reaches capacity in 2029. The proposed site is located in eastern Deschutes County, Oregon, and is currently a privately owned aggregate surface mine.

At the hearing, the commissioners voted to wait on a final site decision to allow for additional public comment and to get further information about the availability of water at the Moon Pit site, the potential value of onsite aggregate, and the potential costs associated with a robust mitigation plan for area wildlife and recreation. The full meeting recording including a brief presentation from Director Tim Brownell about the siting evaluation process and testimony from members of the public, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and local organizations can be viewed at: deschutes.org/meetings.

The public can continue to submit written comments through June 26 at 4 pm. The Board of County Commissioners is expected to schedule deliberations later this summer.

The Department of Solid Waste worked over the course of two years with a consultant team and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to screen and evaluate potential in-county locations using siting criteria that include environmental, land use, site characteristics, and engineering considerations. This work is documented in the Deschutes County Solid Waste Management Facility Final Site Evaluation Report available at: deschutes.org/managethefuture.

Proposal Status

A Public Hearing was held on June 12, 2024 to get formal comment/input from citizens. The Department of Solid Waste accepted written comments from citizens until the written record period closed at 4 pm on June 24, 2024 by email at managethefuture@deschutescounty.gov. The Board of County Commissioners met July 10, 2024 and approved Board Order 2024-021 to adopt the Solid Waste Advisory Committee's recommendation for the development of a new Solid Waste Management Facility in Deschutes County at the Hooker Creek “Moon Pit” Site.