Round one of protests against the expansion of the Coffin Butte landfill October 22, 2025. Several people converged on the entrance to the landfill and some brought signs stating thier opposition.
Some background: I was able to learn some things about the situation. First there is a lack of indigenous input. Some of the people pushing for the expansion have an attitude that the indigenous have been satisfied on the issue and likely have not been contacted nor have put in sufficient testimony or opposition. A few reasons why other indigenous should give their input would be that it is affecting water quality which is harming salmon and eel etc. Beyond that there’s a need for more revolutionary indigenous input after all the northwest and the fishing wars is was a factor in the birth of the old American Indian Movement of which my deceased grandfather who built many schools and houses in Corvallis was a senior member. I know for a fact that anything that hurt fish my grandfather would have been against. He had been medically silenced by a doctor in Corvallis and the took his voice for speaking out. I will speak for him as well. To me it is obvious that both Siletz and Grand Ronde should give testimony, and the clock is running out. Both of these tribal entities are obligated to speak or write in testimony. I will be speaker #98 at the county event. My territory is U.S, Canada, Mexico, Pacific and Caribbean Islands. 93 countries worldwide read our blog. Corvallis and for that matter anybody is done treating us small. I was told Somalia will be joining as supporter number 94.
E.E Wilson Pond: I was able to talk to a scientist who understands the direction of the runnoff from the dump and it goes into the pond among other places. There is arsenic in the water and Oregon Department Of Fish And Wildlife refuses to test the water. I believe it is their responsibility to test that water. I myself ate almost 40 trout out of there this year that i caught legally. Food is becoming more scarce and i am techncally a low income person, peasant status. I actually need the meat i fish for unlike the upper class who tend to sport fish. Although people online have belittled this fishing pond i belive it to be priceless. Truely i must demand that the water hole be tested. ODFW we are callin you out. Expect us!
Jackson Frasier Wetlands: I was the youth forman on the youth crew who built the boardwalk at the Jackson Frasier Wetlands. I am on the waiting list as a volunteer to rebuild the boardwalk that is in disrepair currently. Im not a scientist im just an indigenous nerd but i know that wetlands are the water filters of the natural world. To me the landfill expansion is a threat to the surrounding environment and you can clearly see that with the eye as trash is strewn all the way to the turnoff for the hostpital. This road literally runs by a wildlife refuge and the county is asking the question “how is this effecting the surrounding area” More like how could it not? Look you cant control birds and wildlife that travel on their own validity. That wetland shouldn’t be further threatened or made to absord more that it can tolerate. There is indigenous food camas in there. I actually occasionally eat camas in respect to its abundance. I see the landfill expansion as a contradiction to the wetlands, and it undermines the greenbelt. The wildlife rehabilitation center that might heal some of those animals is losing funding. I suggest the people themselves come together to collaborate funding for both Chintimini Wildlife and Jackson Frasier. Republic waste is talking like they can offer money. I would quote M.L.K here
“Philanthropy is commendable but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice that make the philanthropy necessary in the first place”. M.L.K
We don’t need their money and shouldn’t give platform to them lording it over us. In this case its an environmental injustice and the reason for it is the landfill that is supposed to be closed eventually and at least not exceed current capacity. I speak for the Virginia Rail, The camas, the duck and the indigenous people who have been restricted from the landscape when i say no against the expansion.
Compost: A definitive demand of the people is that cities and counties across the state along with the tribal communities all create their own compost programs. Waste is being shipped all over the state and once you look at it you can see it doesn’t make sense from a fossil fuel pespective. It certainly appears that composting programs have been overlooked and the whole thing looks like a money making scam. People doing unecessary things because they get paid to and then a closer observation it just looks like rampant corruption and complacency on the issue. McMinville as i understand is the only ones who have a independant composting program. As far as the composting done by the dump itself it’s so full of plastic nobody wants it and it’s piling up. That does not seize the means of production for the people and forfeits a usable product to a corporate entity who is proving to be careless on multiple levels. Compost is a opperatunity to keep tons of waste out of the landfills and if done right it will make an extremely valuable product and not just monetary but a real material value. Even the fledgling Pan Indigenous Government of which i represent has its own composting program and has had for over a decade. Cities and counties not running their own compost especially urban composting are being irresponsible and neglectful. To find out this is still not being done in 2025 is just shameful. Many more community gardens are needed, and rooftop gardens should become normalized and common.
Call to action for the tribes: Immediately innitiate your own compost program if you have not already done so. I have stated this publicly before. I continue to be overlooked and you see here we are again. Lets correct the issue this time. Let us actually lead by example. Next year at pow wow we all better have compost bins. I told you already you can get land back one square yard at a time with compost. Here me this time. Also i must ask that I.S.R Pan Indigenous Government finally get the support of the people in mass. We are the ones who have done correct and we have done it with nothing.
Toxins: Its time to actually limit the toxins going in there and have tmore toxic waste community disposal days not expand the landfill.
Round two: Round 2 of protests will escalate to the public offices of the agencies involved and those reluctant to speak. I.S.R vanguard is taking this bull by the horns to ensure a true united front.
Written by: War Chief Mko of the Pan Indigenous Government
I am the one who has faced fear, isolation and repression for you i am not he petite bourgeoisie. #RightfulStewards
Illahee Spirit Runners 