The Schuylkill County Commissioners will contact the state Department of Environmental Protection to set up a meeting to discuss problems on the western end of the county.

Commissioner Chairman Larry Padora said Friday DEP officials have not contacted the commissioners about setting up a meeting to discuss a variety of environmental problems plaguing residents on the western end of the county, including foul odors and raw sewage that flowed onto the property of a farmer.

At Wednesday’s commissioners’ meeting, Padora said DEP was supposed to contact the commissioners by Friday to set up the meeting.

They did not, so now Padora said the commissioners will contact DEP to set up the meeting.

Melinda Deibert of North Manheim Township said she hopes the company doing to property tax reassessment of the county takes into account the various environmental problems residents on the western end of the county are having in reassessing their property taxes.

“It’s not just the stench, it’s also the pollutants in the air,” Deibert said. “There is ashy particulate in the air. Those residents cannot let their pets go outside, or keep their windows open, because the particulate comes into their homes and enters their properties, Our elected representatives have to put more pressure on DEP.”

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the commissioners commented on the expansion of Hydro’s extrusion plant which is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world. Hydro Cressona provides a very large range of extrusion, machining, fabrication, and finishing services. The plant used to be known as Cressona Aluminum.

“With the expansion, they (Hydro) are investing $100 million in future generations, who will be able to get good-paying jobs,” said Commissioner Chairman Larry Padora.

Commissioner Barron “Boots” Hetherington said the plant already has 1,400 employees.

“SEDCO (the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation) and SCIDA (the Schuylkill County Industrial Development Authority) helped pull together to get a loan for this project,” said Commissioner Gary Hess. “They now have a new press, and continue to grow. We will see those jobs here for a long, long time. This is the biggest facility of its kind in the world.”

The commissioners also approved a $527,000 budget appropriation.

The appropriation was made to accept a $1,060,000 federal Department of Justice grant for the county prison that will carry over into 2025.