State lawmakers expecting a high-profile grilling over the Vegas Loop instead got an empty witness table on Tuesday, when neither The Boring Company nor Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office showed up for a scheduled interim committee hearing. The Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure had lined up questions about health, safety and environmental oversight of the privately built tunnel network. In the end, lawmakers got letters instead of live answers.
Letters, Not Witnesses
In a written statement, The Boring Company told legislators it “would be thrilled to share our vision” but said no one from the company was available to attend in person, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The company reiterated that safety is a priority and said any future Vegas Loop work hinges on what it called an “unwavering commitment to safety,” while inviting committee members to tour the system.
Governor’s Office Declines In Writing
Gov. Lombardo’s chief of staff turned down the committee’s request in a Jan. 22 letter, explaining that the governor’s office had served mainly as a facilitator between The Boring Company and state regulators, and that those agencies should be the ones answering technical and enforcement questions, according to The Nevada Independent. Assemblymember Howard Watts, who chairs the panel, told the outlet the absence was “really disappointing,” saying lawmakers had hoped for direct accountability from both the company and the governor’s team.
Agencies Answered The Room
With the headline guests missing, lawmakers turned to state regulators who did show. Representatives from the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection fielded questions about inspections, citations and enforcement activity tied to the project, Las Vegas Review-Journal reporting noted. The Legislature’s meeting calendar confirms the committee convened in Room 165 in Las Vegas, where members pressed agencies on past violations, cleanup efforts and planned follow-up actions (Nevada Legislature). Staff also formally entered the letters from The Boring Company and the governor’s office into the record…