COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster on Nov 20th, announced his appointment of Myra Reece as the first director of the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES). Reece, who currently serves as the Interim Director of SCDES, served as the Director of Environmental Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) from December 2015 until the agency's statutory reorganization in July 2024. The new law directed that DHEC's Director of Environmental Affairs serve as the interim director of the new agency until such a time as the governor nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent SCDES director in 2025.

"Through her extensive leadership experience at DHEC and now as Interim Director of SCDES, there is no one more qualified or better positioned to lead this new agency forward," said Governor Henry McMaster. "Her expertise, professionalism, and commitment have earned my respect, as well as that of her peers and staff. I am confident she will continue to effectively execute our state's environmental missions and ensure our natural resources are protected."

Reece held leadership positions at DHEC for over 30 years, including as Director of Environmental Affairs, Bureau of Air Quality Chief from May 2004 until December 2015, and Regional Office Division Director from February 1992 until May 2004. As interim director, Reece oversees bureaus of Air Quality, Coastal Management, Land and Waste Management, Regional and Laboratory Services, and Water. Her biography can be found here.

"I’ve had the incredible privilege of working alongside talented teams of environmental experts for more than 30 years, and I’m honored to be considered to continue to lead the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services,” said SCDES Interim Director Myra Reece. “I thank Governor McMaster for his nomination and support in protecting and preserving South Carolina’s critical air, land, water and coastal resources, and I look forward to continued engagement with the General Assembly through the confirmation process.”

Reece is originally from Edgefield and currently resides in North Augusta with her husband, Dan Reece. They have two sons, Trib and Kevin, and a granddaughter. She received a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Clemson University and a master's degree in public health from the University of South Carolina. Reece is also a graduate of the Management Academy for Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a graduate of the Southern Center of Excellence in Environmental Health at Emory University, and has obtained professional certification as a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager. A copy of her resume can be found here, and a copy of her headshot can be found here.

Reece currently serves as the Chair of Governor McMaster's WaterSC Water Resources Working Group and was President of the Environmental Council of States, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of state and territorial environmental agency leaders, from 2022 until 2023.