Linn County landfill expansion plans stall as Marion, Cedar Rapids disagree on scope

Plans to expand the Linn County landfill have stalled as Marion and Cedar Rapids disagree over the scope of the expansion, according to the Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency and city officials.

The landfill at 1954 County Home Road in Marion is filling faster than expected. Originally projected to reach capacity in 2044, it is now expected to fill between 2036 and early 2039, the Solid Waste Agency said. In 2025, the landfill received 181,910 total tons of trash — 71% commercial and industrial, 29% residential — and typically processes 500 to 600 tons per day, according to agency data.

In February 2026, the cities of Marion and Cedar Rapids and Linn County signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore a limited expansion. Under the MOU, Marion would allow a 450-foot setback reduction — from 1,800 feet to 1,350 feet — extending the landfill's life to 2044. In exchange, Marion would receive a host fee of $250,000 per year plus $1.75 per ton of residential waste and $2.25 per ton of commercial and industrial waste, according to the agreement.

The MOU also called for restructuring the Solid Waste Agency board. A working group proposed a 14-member board: seven from Cedar Rapids, three from Marion, three from Linn County, and one small-town representative. Simple majority would require eight votes; supermajority for major decisions would require 10 votes, the Gazette reported.

Marion and Linn County have approved the proposed board structure. Cedar Rapids has not yet taken action, officials said. The Marion City Council passed a resolution reiterating its commitment to the MOU and encouraging completion of the remaining steps, according to the Gazette.

Cedar Rapids wants to eliminate the setback entirely, arguing the site has space to operate into the mid-2060s. Tyler Olson, chair of the Solid Waste Agency Board of Directors and a Cedar Rapids City Council member, said in a statement: "While there is space at the site to operate the landfill until the mid-2060s, Marion can require the site to close in 2044, twenty-plus years before it is full. Using all the available space at the existing landfill is the lowest cost solid waste solution for everyone in Linn County and is a small request in exchange for the cash payments and governance changes Marion demands."

Marion Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly said the landfill sits in the path of the city's growth. "Having a landfill in the path of growth for Marion is definitely an impact for Marion," he said. AbouAssaly noted that Marion could have done nothing but chose to invite regional collaboration. "Marion didn't have to do anything. We could have just let things play out," he said. "[We wanted to] invite the region to work together under a more collaborative structure that would help determine what comes next."

If the landfill reaches capacity without an expansion, trash would be hauled to other counties at roughly double the cost per ton, increasing residents' monthly bills, the Solid Waste Agency said. Building a new landfill in Linn County is not currently feasible due to state regulations, zoning constraints, and limited available land, according to Iowa Code §455B.305A and agency officials.

The Solid Waste Agency's Forward 2044 plan has decided not to site a new landfill in Linn County. Options under consideration include transfer stations, regional partnerships, and alternative technologies such as thermal, biological, chemical, and mechanical processing, the agency said.

"Landfilling is the cheapest garbage disposal option. All other alternatives, including transfer stations, involve more handling," said Joe Horaney, communications director for the Solid Waste Agency.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell said in a statement that managing solid waste is a regional responsibility and that the discussions represent an important first step toward collaborative planning. "We are committed to negotiating a joint approach balancing fiscal responsibility, environmental protection, and the needs of residents and businesses in Linn County for the next several decades," she said.

As of July 2026, the new board has not been formed, and no official work has been done to outline a solution once the landfill reaches capacity, according to KCRG. The MOU states that if the agency fails to adopt the new governance structure, Marion will cease any consideration of expansion.