Lycoming County commissioners voted Thursday to approve fee changes for the county transfer station that include adding a material‑impact fee and removing an oversized fee tier from the schedule; the changes were reported to take effect in October.

County speakers said the existing fee structure undercharged for the transfer station because the cost of moving waste from the transfer station to the landfill was higher than the fees charged there. "The fees that cost the county to move the waste from the transfer station to the landfill does not, cover the cost of that we've been charging," said Commissioner Collins, who urged the board to even the playing field between transfer station and landfill charges. The updated schedule also reflects an effort to better recover the county’s disposal and handling expenses.

The board approved the price changes as part of a package of routine operations and contract items the county considered at the meeting. County staff said the changes will help reflect actual operational costs and reduce the county subsidy required to operate the transfer station. The commissioners did not provide a detailed breakdown of new fee levels in the public meeting record, but said the change will be implemented in October.

Commissioners approved the amendment by motion and said they expected the change to reduce the county’s net cost of managing solid waste transport and disposal.