Hearings Officer Rejects Lane County’s $178 Million “CleanLane” Trash Facility
It all begins with an idea.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 23, 2025
Contact: Jake Pelroy, LCGRA President
Hearings Officer Rejects Lane County’s $178 Million “CleanLane” Trash Facility
Decision protects Goshen’s wetlands, public health, and local rate-payers
Eugene, Ore - Goshen neighbors and Lane County’s family-owned garbage and recycling haulers scored a major win when Lane Use Hearings Officer Joe Turner, Esq., AICP denied Lane County Public Works’ special-use permit for the proposed CleanLane Resource Recovery Facility (formerly IMERF).
In a 27-page opinion, Officer Turner ruled that “the proposed facility is, in whole or in part, a ‘waste-related’ use that is prohibited in the LI zone.” The ruling reverses the Lane County Planning Director’s December 6, 2024 administrative approval and grants the appeal in its entirety.
“Today’s decision vindicates what Goshen residents have been saying for months,” said Jake Pelroy, President of the Lane County Garbage & Recycling Association (LCGRA). “The county tried to re-label a massive waste-processing and gas complex as a benign ‘government facility.’ Officer Turner saw through the spin and protected our community, its wetlands, and rate-payers from an ill-conceived and dangerous $178 million experiment.”
The stakes
$178 million price tag. Lane County planned to finance the project through a 25-year contract with Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) and $59 million in bonds plus interest, backed by an 11 % tipping-fee hike in both 2024 and 2025.
Wetlands at risk. If the trash facility were approved, the county had planned to fill 21 acres or more of sensitive Goshen wetlands.
Zoning mismatch. The Light Industrial (LI) zone expressly prohibits waste-related uses, a protection designed to keep these dangerous types of facilities away from established neighborhoods and waterways.
Next steps
Lane County has until May 5 to appeal Officer Turner’s decision. County staff have acknowledged that absent an appeal, they may recommend the Board of Commissioners abandon the Goshen site and search for a compliant location. The controversial trash facility has split the Board of Commissioners and has only advanced with the narrow support of a 3-2 vote of Lane County board of commissioners by Farr, Trieger and Buch.
The Lane County Garbage & Recycling Association represents the county’s locally owned waste-collection and recycling companies. We advocate for responsible solid-waste policy, transparent government, and fair treatment of the customers and communities we serve.
Learn more at www.LCGRA.com.
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Blog Post Title Two
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