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DEQ warns permit delays linked to staffing shortfalls; seeks targeted pay increases
Summary
The director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality told the legislative budget committee that turnover and vacancies have lengthened permit timelines and that a targeted pay plan plus previously approved CEC would improve recruitment and retention for technical permitting staff.
Director Jess Byrne of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee staffing shortages and turnover have slowed permitting and that a targeted pay plan in the governor’s recommendation — combined with a recently approved Cost-of-Employee Compensation (CEC) action — is intended to improve recruitment and retention.
Byrne said DEQ is allocated 385 FTE and reported about 37 vacancies (a roughly 9.7% vacancy rate at the time of submission) and that the agency spent about 85% of its personnel appropriation in 2024. She described long training times for technical permit writers, a high exit rate and downstream impacts on businesses and projects.
Permitting delays: Byrne said average time to issue an air quality permit increased from about 89.1 days in…
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