Kim Shelley will step down from her role as executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, the department confirmed Thursday to The Salt Lake Tribune. She will leave the position, which she has held for over four years, before the legislative session ends.
“Under Kim’s leadership, DEQ has achieved many significant milestones that will have a lasting, positive impact on Utah’s air, land, and water,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement. “We are grateful for her leadership and dedication to our mission throughout her tenure, and look forward to her continued focus and success on environmental priorities in her future endeavors.”
The Department of Environmental Quality lists its mission as “safeguarding and improving Utah’s air, land and water through balanced regulation.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox appointed Shelley to the position in December 2020, just before his first term.
At the time, Cox said in a statement that Shelley had “depth of experience” and “respect” from her colleagues, adding she was “uniquely qualified.”
Shelley will leave Cox’s cabinet at the end of February, two months into his second term. The governor did not comment on Shelley’s time as the department’s leader. A spokesperson for the governor’s office on Thursday said it was “aligned” with the Department of Environmental Quality’s statement.
In an email to department staff sent Thursday afternoon, Shelley praised the work of her staff, saying that serving “alongside the most talented, driven, and mission-focused team in state government has been the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“I am profoundly grateful to each of you and incredibly proud of all we have accomplished together. The mission of our department is not easy work, but I am honored to have championed it beside you,” Shelley wrote. “My hope is that you will continue to trust in your voice, the value of your efforts, and the impact you make. Even in the moments it may not feel like it, your work truly matters.”
Shelley and the Division of Air Quality, which is housed under the Department of Environmental Quality, received pushback from lawmakers last year after floating restrictions to bring Utah back into compliance with federal ozone requirements. Ozone can irritate your respiratory system, causing breathing issues and exacerbating lung diseases like asthma.
Utah has fought federal air quality standards, like the Environmental Protection Agency’s “good neighbor” rule, for years. State leaders and legislators have argued that federal regulations for air quality amount to “federal overreach.”
Before directing it, Shelley worked at the Department of Environmental Quality for more than 20 years. She was previously the agency’s deputy director and worked in the state’s Division of Water Quality and Division of Environmental Response and Remediation.
