NASHVILLE, TN - State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, is throwing his support behind Murfreesboro’s legal challenge to Middle Point Landfill’s proposed expansion, a move that has stirred both courtroom action and county-level resolutions. At the heart of the dispute is a 627-page application submitted by BFI Waste Systems of Tennessee to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The proposal seeks a 70-foot vertical expansion that would pile an additional 19 million tons of waste on top of the existing landfill.
Murfreesboro city officials, joined by the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board, filed suit this week, arguing that BFI is sidestepping the state’s required regional review process. Terry echoed their concerns, saying any increase beyond current permit limits qualifies as an expansion and must involve the regional board. “This application expands what amounts to a second landfill on top of the existing one,” he said. “The process needs to halt until the law is followed.”
The lawsuit asks for injunctive relief to stop the 240-day review clock until all legal requirements are met. Meanwhile, the Rutherford County Commission Steering Committee passed a resolution on December 1 reaffirming support for the Jackson Law, which empowers local governments to block new landfills or incinerators. At Terry’s urging, the resolution also recognized the role of the Solid Waste Planning Board, underscoring the need for local voices in decisions that affect community health and quality of life.
This latest clash comes against the backdrop of years of landfill disputes. In 2021, the regional board denied BFI’s request for a 99-acre northern expansion, a decision upheld in court after lengthy litigation. Terry has consistently worked to strengthen oversight, including a 2022 law preventing TDEC from issuing permits when courts have ruled against them. More recently, he helped establish the Advisory Task Force on Solid Waste, which will study disposal practices and alternatives such as recycling and incineration over the next four years.
“My district has been burdened by MPL for years and expansions like this would only make the problem worse,” Terry said. He emphasized that while landfills remain part of the solution, the task force must be given time to explore alternatives before long-term decisions are made. The group’s next meeting is set for December 8 at the Cordell Hull Building in Nashville.
- Middle Point Landfill sent a statement to WGNS: Click Here to Read More.
