Schuylkill County is another step closer to building a $4 million emergency services training facility.

Commissioners George F. Halcovage Jr. and Chairman Barron L. Hetherington on Wednesday hired a Pottsville engineering firm to get started on the permitting and design.

Commissioner Gary J. Hess did not vote on the mater because he was in Tamaqua, representing the county at the announcement by Gov. Josh Shapiro of a $300 million semiconductor specialty gases manufacturing in Hometown.

“It’s probably the largest project in the state of Pennsylvania right now,” Halcovage said.

The county will pay Alfred Benesch & Co. $75,000 to perform surveying, subdivision plans, land development, obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, infiltration testing, erosion and sediment control design, and storm water management design.

County Engineer Lisa Mahall said earlier the land has passed initial environmental studies.

The land was donated to the county years ago by the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation.

The 14,080 square foot facility, to be built adjacent to the burn building on three acres on the grounds of the Schuylkill County Emergency Services Training Center in Frackville, will house emergency services training and an emergency operations center.

Pottsville architect Yongcheol Kim is designing the building.

Last month, commissioners agreed to ask for $3 million in government funds.

Of that, $2 million would be from the Senate, through the offices of U.S. senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, and $1 million from the House of Representatives, through U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser.