New York’s longest-serving DEC Commissioner has announced he will be stepping down. Basil Seggos was appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation in 2015. In a letter sent out to staff, Seggos said he would stay on through the end of state budget negotiations.
As the DEC Commissioner, Seggos oversees programs that promote a clean, healthy and accessible environment, including protecting and restoring New York’s air, lands and waters, combatting climate change, enforcing State environmental laws and regulations, responding to natural and man-made disasters, and supporting world-class outdoor recreation on state lands and waters, including hunting, fishing, hiking and paddling.
Seggos was instrumental in the passage of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and now serves as the co-chair of its implementing body, the Climate Action Council. He also devised and is responsible for the $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act and spearheaded the reauthorization of the State’s Superfund law and reforms of the Brownfield Tax Credit program. As co-chair of the State’s Drinking Water Quality Council, Seggos oversaw the establishment of the most protective water quality standards for PFOA/PFOS and 1,4-dioxane.
Prior to becoming DEC Commissioner, Seggos served as the Deputy Secretary for the Environment for the Governor, where he counseled the Governor on environmental policy and the operations of New York’s environmental agencies, including DEC, the Office of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, EFC and the APA, and was a liaison to the State Legislature on environmental issues and legislation.
Before his career in State government, Seggos served as Vice President of Business Development at Hugo Neu Corporation, a clean tech private equity company. He served as Chief Investigator and Attorney for Riverkeeper. During law school, he was a legal clerk at the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. He began his career as an Associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Seggos graduated with a B.A. from Trinity College in 1996 and earned his law degree from Pace School of Law University in 2001, where he received the Environmental Law award and Alumni Achievement award.
Seggos served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.
