MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) — The City of Murfreesboro says BFI is attempting to bypass required state procedures by filing directly with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) for a major vertical expansion of the Middle Point Landfill. The proposal would add a 70-foot-tall landfill mound on top of the existing site, increasing capacity by an estimated 19 million tons of waste.
According to BFI’s own projections, the expansion would extend the landfill’s lifespan by approximately 14 years—through 2046—and increase the total amount of garbage deposited at the site by 39%.
City officials argue that by submitting its application straight to TDEC, BFI sidestepped the statutory process that ensures local review and public comment. As a result, residents of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County were effectively denied the opportunity to weigh in on a project that directly impacts their community.
On Monday evening, the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board and the City of Murfreesboro filed a lawsuit in Rutherford County Chancery Court, seeking to compel BFI to follow all legal requirements. The action comes amid ongoing concerns about environmental safety at Middle Point. Over the past year, the landfill has received seven environmental violations, and the City has logged more than 4,000 odor complaints through its public reporting portal.
Additionally, in its pending federal lawsuit against Republic Services and BFI, the City issued new notices of continued Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act violations after test results indicated ongoing discharges of landfill leachate into the East Fork Stones River—one of the primary drinking water sources for Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.
