The state Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public meeting so residents of the western end of Schuylkill County can voice their concerns about waste that has been plaguing them.

Larry Padora, chairman of the Schuylkill County Commissioners, said the commissioners held a Zoom meeting with the entire DEP staff, and were promised a public meeting will be scheduled to discuss odors.

“They (DEP) said they would get back to us, with dates and a possible location, possibly the old Tremont school, or the Hegins Ambulance,” Padora said, at the weekly commissioners’ meeting Wednesday morning. “The public will be invited, and will be able to ask questions. They (DEP) may want the questions beforehand. They said they will get back to us with a better answer in two weeks.”

Padora said during the Zoom meeting, he and fellow commissioners Barron “Boots” Hetherington and Gary Hess talked about all of the issues on the west end — sewage sludge, landfills and odors.

“We discussed everything,” Padora said. “We discussed landfills, those now and in the future,” a reference to a new landfill proposed for the area.

Although Wednesday’s meeting was a work session, the commissioners took action on energy contracts.

The commissioners approved an agreement with WGL Energy to purchase the electric for the county’s various accounts. The contracts are for 24 months to commence with the expiration of contracts with Summer Energy.

An agreement with NRG for the purchase of natural gas will run from Nov. 1 through December 2026.

Lisa Mahall, from the county engineering office, said Chrislynn Energy, Pittsburgh — a state Costars approved vendor — served as the county’s energy broker for both contracts.

Mahall said while NRG was the gas supplier under the old contract, WGL will replace Summer Energy — but WGL had provided electric to the county before.

The commissioner also approved four supplemental budget appropriations due to new income.

An additional $175,984 in federal money, and $77,826 in state funds is going to the county’s drug and alcohol services for program expansion in treatment and recovery services.