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Jackson County accepts $3 million federal grant to build Cashiers transfer station
Summary
The Jackson County Board unanimously approved accepting a $3 million Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant to fund a proposed Cashiers transfer station and hazardous-waste buildings; staff warned of federal labor/sourcing requirements, an estimated $4.6 million project cost, and higher ongoing operational expenses for the county solid-waste enterprise fund.
Jackson County commissioners voted unanimously to accept a $3 million federal Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure Grant to fund a proposed stand-alone transfer station in Cashiers and two household hazardous-waste storage buildings.
Chad, county staff who led the grant application, told commissioners the award funds construction of a Cashiers transfer station with commercial waste and recycling areas, brush collection, two household hazardous-waste buildings (for Cashiers and either Cullowhee or Sylva), and additional roll-off containers for staffing recycling centers. He said the construction-only estimate for the transfer station and facilities was about $3.3 million, with a $665,000 contingency and soft costs (design, permitting, bidding and administration) that bring the total project estimate to about $4.6 million.
The presentation noted the grant is federal pass-through funding administered via the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (referred in the meeting as the 'America Relief Act of 2025' funding stream). Staff warned the award carries federal requirements cited in the presentation: compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (federal prevailing-wage rules), Build America, Buy America material-manufacturing requirements, and EPA cross-cutting provisions related to nondiscrimination, financial management and other federal grant terms.
Chad said there is no local match required to receive the award, but that accepting the grant obligates the county to complete the project and will increase operational costs for solid-waste services, including staffing, equipment and ongoing upkeep. He told the board the solid-waste enterprise fund must break even each year and staff are forecasting a deficit in 2026–2027 that could require raising tipping fees to cover operations once the new facility opens. He also said the county currently hauls recycling to Asheville and uses Republic Services for hauling and that the facility’s future hauling destinations and contract arrangements remain to be determined.
Commissioners asked about the project timeline and staff said the grant requires completion by June 30, 2030. After discussion, a commissioner moved to accept the grant, a second was given, and the board approved the motion by voice vote.
The county will proceed with procurement and planning steps required by federal regulations (including reissuing design RFQs to comply with Davis-Bacon and related requirements); staff said more detailed cost and operational modeling will be presented as project design and contract decisions proceed.
