Officials have selected Great West Engineering, which boasts experience in Lincoln County, to lay the groundwork for the planned Libby landfill expansion.

The Helena-based firm previously assisted with the landfill’s vertical expansion, said Nick Raines, environmental health specialist with the county health department. Raines made the announcement at a Feb. 8 health board meeting.

“They are very well versed in landfill design and permitting across the state,” he said.

Health officials began soliciting qualifications for an engineering firm in the late fall. In late December and early January, they sorted through the submissions.

Along with experience in Lincoln County, Great West Engineering has worked on many landfill projects in Montana, Raines told health board members.

“They’re probably one of the prime contractors,” he said. “They’re on-call engineers for a number of facilities.”

Raines said contract negotiations were underway. Great West Engineering will aid in the planning and permitting steps of the expansion project, he said. That process likely will take more than a year.

While a landfill expansion was always on the books, officials sped up their timeline after an influx of waste in recent years. The initial phase of the project is expected to cost roughly $5.79 million.