Columbia Ridge Landfill opened in 1990, and has gone on to become the county’s largest employer. “I think it’s a really good example of a symbiotic relationship between two communities that, ...

Columbia Ridge opened in 1990 under a licensing agreement with Gilliam County, though the landfill gas power plant did not begin operating until 2009.

The Columbia Ridge landfill 10 miles south of Arlington takes in one-third of the 6.5 million tons of trash disposed of in Oregon every year. It also provides Gilliam County with jobs and cash.

Seattle saw this coming 30 years ago and started shipping its waste by rail to Columbia Ridge Landfill, near Arlington, Oregon, over 300 miles away. It is 2,500 acres, with a lifespan of 143 years.