Basil Seggos was appointed DEC Commissioner by Governor Andrew Cuomo, and has served in this role since 2015, leading an agency of nearly 3,000 professionals. As Commissioner, he 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.
In addition to leading DEC, Commissioner Seggos advises the Governor on environmental policy and issues. He also serves on a variety of boards, including the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), Delaware River Basin Commission, the Great Lakes Commission, Hudson River Park, the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), the NYS Drinking Water Quality Council, the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, NYS Energy Planning Board, and others.
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; Chief Investigator and Attorney for Riverkeeper; Associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); and legal clerk at the White House.
Seggos graduated with a B.A. from Trinity College in 1996, and earned his law degree from Pace University in 2001, where he received the Environmental Law award and Alumni Achievement award. He is a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve.
