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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 February (earlier baseline) to roughly 160 days in the most recent reporting, and that backlog and vacancy rates in air and surface-water permitting have been acute. “Because we are a lean organization, turnover can have a very significant impact on our ability to answer that call,” she said.
Compensation proposal: The department proposes raising entry-level hiring minimums to a roughly 83% comp ratio for new hires and to 86% for hard-to-fill positions, with targeted internal increases to address compression and retention for long-serving staff. Byrne said combining the targeted increases with the committee-approved CEC would make DEQ more competitive for specialized candidates.
Business impacts and prioritization: Committee members asked how permitting delays affect economic development. Byrne said delayed permits can slow facility construction and wastewater or air-source approvals; the agency prioritizes permits that would otherwise hold up economic activity.
Funds and remediation programs: Janet Jessup and Director Byrne outlined several DEQ funds and transfers. The hearing reviewed the water pollution control account, where $4.8 million is an annual statutory transfer and that, at times, an additional $1.5 million has been requested to support the basin remediation (Bunker Hill) account. Byrne said the agency’s goal is to build the basin remediation fund to about $45 million to cover the state’s 10% match and ongoing operation-and-maintenance for the Bunker Hill Superfund site.
Waste tire and other funds: Committee members asked about a negative balance in the Waste Tire Deficiency Fund in 2022; Jessup explained deficiency funds may end the year negative and are reconciled through a deficiency warrant.
Staffing context: Byrne said the agency had fewer program staff overall than two decades ago after removing IT and HR positions; she described an average tenure of 2.8 years for recent hires and long training periods for permit writers. Byrne said DEQ is pursuing the targeted pay approach to stabilize staffing before seeking any substantial new positions.
Closing: Byrne told the committee the agency aims to preserve state primacy for programs currently overseen by DEQ and that stabilizing staffing is necessary to meet permitting timelines and economic-development needs. “Pride doesn’t get permits out the door. Quality workers do. Making this investment in DEQ is an investment in Idaho,” Byrne said.
