State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, released a statement following a significant legal victory for Murfreesboro residents in relation to a 2021 proposed expansion of Middle Point Landfill.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, released a statement following a significant legal victory for Murfreesboro residents in relation to a 2021 proposed expansion of Middle Point Landfill.
After nearly four years of litigation, BFI Waste Systems of Tennessee decided to withdraw its appeal for a 99-acre expansion of Middle Point Landfill. The Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the trial court’s ruling, which affirmed the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board’s decision to deny BFI’s expansion application.
The board initially voted against the expansion in June 2021, and after BFI sued the board, the City of Murfreesboro intervened to represent the concerns of Murfreesboro residents. In September 2023, the court ruled in favor of the board, and BFI’s decision to dismiss its appeal on Feb. 18 solidified this victory.
Terry said in a statement:
“With Republic’s withdrawal of their appeal for a northern development for Middle Point Landfill, our
citizens can soon close the chapter on that attempted infringement on our community. Our
focus must turn to protecting our community from further abuses as a long-term proposal to
continue bringing in outside solid waste has been presented to our county commission.”
In 2022, Rep. Terry spearheaded passage of a new law preventing the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation from issuing a landfill permit in contravention of a judicial ruling, such as the one made by the Davidson County Chancery Court in this case.
While many celebrate this victory, Terry also recognizes that the fight over the Middle Point Landfill expansion is far from over. The landfill’s management has proposed a $1.1 billion plan to expand operations toward the former county landfill south of the current site. The decision to approve or deny the expansion will rest with the Rutherford County Commission.
Bryan Terry, MD, represents House District 48 which includes the eastern half of Rutherford County.