Shelby County's public-works committee recommended approval Wednesday of a cost-sharing agreement with the City of Memphis and a $225,000 appropriation from county stormwater funds to support environmental work at the Jackson Pit landfill.

County Engineer Darren Sanders told commissioners the city is leading a remediation program that includes design and repair of the landfill cap and a long-term maintenance plan under a forthcoming consent decree with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Sanders said the city estimates the total remediation cost at about $3,600,000, and the county, as a previously involved operator, would be responsible for roughly half of those expenses billed back to it.

Sanders said most of the money will be spent repairing the landfill cap and that the county will be billed for its 50% share after the city contracts for the work. He described ongoing testing and a 30-year post-closure maintenance timeline that will include annual monitoring paid from operations funds after initial capital work is complete.

Commissioners asked whether the $225,000 appropriation would reduce the county's stormwater fund balance; Sanders said the county receives about $700,000 a year in stormwater revenue for unincorporated areas and that the action would reduce the fund's balance from roughly $800,000 to about $600,000. Commissioners also pressed for public engagement commitments and asked for follow-up details on site boundaries and candidate start dates for related road projects.

The committee voted 4-0 to send the agreements and appropriation to the full commission with a favorable recommendation. The city will lead contracting and public engagement; county staff said they will receive reimbursements for 50% of eligible remediation expenses as projects proceed.