Senate Health and Welfare committee questions two nominees for Idaho Board of Environmental Quality

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee took testimony from two gubernatorial nominees for the Idaho Board of Environmental Quality on procedural and substantive grounds, then deferred a final vote to a future date.

Lance Boylan, nominated to a term beginning Dec. 1, 2024, and expiring July 1, 2028, told the committee he has worked in environmental roles in Idaho since 2011 and currently oversees reclamation and closure operations across multiple U.S. states and the Yukon Territory. “It’s long been a dream of mine to serve this great state in any capacity where I can do so competently,” Boylan said, describing work ranging from permit monitoring and stormwater management to design and construction of water treatment and tailings closure projects.

Boylan said his career began as a junior environmental engineer at the Lucky Friday Mine in Mullan and later expanded to corporate responsibility for closed operations, reclamation and permitting across several states. He described duties that included monitoring permitted discharges under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), spill-prevention and BMP design, hazardous-waste tracking, and Superfund-area institutional controls and coordination with the Panhandle Health District.

Committee members asked Boylan about priorities and potential conflicts of interest. In response to a question about threats facing Idaho’s environment, Boylan cited the state’s rapid growth and stresses on water supply, water quality and aging infrastructure. He also referenced agricultural issues, including NPDES discharge requirements and impacts stemming from the “Maui decision.” When asked about employment ties, Boylan told the committee he works for Hecla and disclosed that relationship on his application: “I wanted to be fully transparent in my history, who I work for,” he said.

Dennis Lecombe, also nominated to a term beginning Dec. 1, 2024, told the committee he holds a master’s degree in geology, is a registered geologist in Idaho and California, has more than 20 years in environmental management and lives in Idaho Falls. “It’s a system of collaboration that both protects the environment and allows businesses to thrive,” Lecombe said, describing Idaho’s regulatory climate as one that favors direct, science-based engagement between regulators and industry.

Lecombe said his recent work has included water reuse projects at Idahoan Foods and outreach on fertilizer application rates. He flagged water availability and nutrient (nitrogen) management as priorities for agricultural protection, and pointed to the Potato Sustainability Alliance as a model for outreach on fertilizer benchmarking.

The committee did not hold a confirmation vote during the hearing. Vice Chair Senator Vierke said the committee would set a future date for the appointment votes and would notify the nominees.

The committee’s questioning covered nominee experience, potential conflicts and regional water and agricultural issues; no statutory or rule changes were proposed during the testimony.