Judge Blocks Middle Point Landfill Expansion in Murfreesboro

Court orders Tennessee regulators to halt review of 70-foot vertical expansion at Middle Point Landfill amid community concerns

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A Davidson County Chancery Court judge has ordered the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to stop processing BFI Waste Systems' application for a 70-foot vertical expansion of the Middle Point Landfill in Murfreesboro. The court granted the City of Murfreesboro's request for a writ of mandamus, sending the permit back to the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board for local review and a public hearing before TDEC can continue the permitting process.

Why it matters

The proposed expansion would have added roughly 19 million tons of new capacity and extended the landfill's lifespan by more than a decade, despite years of complaints from neighbors and city officials about odor, water pollution, and other environmental concerns around the facility. The court's ruling restores a public input process that city leaders say was skipped when the operator sought the expansion directly from state regulators.

The details

BFI Waste Systems, the operator of Middle Point Landfill, had submitted a permit application to TDEC seeking permission to stack roughly 70 additional feet of waste on top of the existing landfill mound. The company said this would keep the site in operation into the 2040s. However, the City of Murfreesboro challenged the application, arguing that the expansion would bypass the required regional review and public hearing process. The court agreed, finding 'substantial and material evidence' backing the regional board's earlier decision to deny an expansion.

  • On February 21, 2026, a Davidson County Chancery Court judge ordered TDEC to halt its review of BFI Waste Systems' expansion application.
  • The court's ruling sends the permit back to the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board for local review and a public hearing before TDEC can continue the permitting process.

The players

Middle Point Landfill

A landfill operated by BFI Waste Systems in Murfreesboro, Tennessee that has faced years of complaints from neighbors and city officials over environmental concerns.

City of Murfreesboro

The local government that challenged BFI Waste Systems' expansion application, arguing it would bypass required regional review and public input.

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)

The state regulatory agency that was processing BFI Waste Systems' expansion application, but has now been ordered by the court to halt that review.

Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board

The regional board that will now have to review the expansion proposal and hold a public hearing before TDEC can continue the permitting process.

Chancellor Perkins

The Davidson County Chancery Court judge who granted the City of Murfreesboro's writ of mandamus, ordering TDEC to stop processing the expansion application.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge's order does not permanently kill the expansion proposal, but it does require TDEC to follow statutory review steps and send the application back to the regional solid waste planning board before any further state permitting can continue. Appeals are likely, and a separate federal case over alleged Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act violations is still moving forward.

The takeaway

This court ruling is a procedural win for the City of Murfreesboro, restoring a public input process that city leaders say was skipped when the landfill operator sought the expansion directly from state regulators. However, the broader fight over Middle Point Landfill's environmental impact and future expansion plans is far from over, with appeals, a federal lawsuit, and continued local scrutiny still to come.