The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality appointed Chance Watson as its next chief auditor at a Jan. 5 work session, the commission announced. The appointment was approved by voice vote and the new chief auditor's start date was set for Jan. 15, 2026.

Commissioners moved quickly through the agenda item after a session official said the commission had interviewed "several extremely impressive candidates." An unidentified speaker announced, "we have come to the consensus to appoint mister Chance Watson as TCAQ's next chief auditor," and a motion to appoint Watson beginning Jan. 15, 2026, was moved and seconded. The motion carried after those in favor answered "Aye." The commission confirmed it would not meet in closed session on the item.

The commission cited Watson's experience in justifying the selection. An unidentified speaker noted the candidate brings "28 years of experience." No salary, contract length, or reporting structure was stated in the session record. Mary, identified only by her first name in the transcript, was asked to call the item on the agenda.

The brief work session concluded immediately after the vote. No public comment, questions from named commissioners, or references to statutes or external approvals were recorded in the session transcript provided.

The agency's name appears in the record as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The transcript contains minor typographical errors in references to the agency (appearing as "TCAQ" in one line), which the commission should confirm in formal minutes.