ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the release of the agency’s first sustainability plan. The plan includes commitments to decarbonization projects and reduce the DEC’s impact on the environment.
The DEC identifies 25 goals and 70 actions they aim to take, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, decreasing waste, conserving water, and protecting species and habitats. Highlights of their overall goals include:
- Carbon neutral DEC operations by 2050
- Eliminate single-use plastics in operations by 2025
- Decrease waste generation 10 percent by 2028
The DEC also announced several new building electrification and decarbonization efforts being planned at its facilities across the state, including locations such as the Green Island maintenance center, the Cortland suboffice, and the New Paltz regional office. DEC plans to install heat pumps at these facilities to remove fossil fuel-combusting machinery and upgrade outdated equipment.
“I’m extremely proud that day in and day out, the hardworking employees of DEC lead by example and work to make the agency’s operations more sustainable,” said Seggos. “This new plan represents a roadmap for accelerating our progress as we work towards meeting New York’s ambitious climate and environmental goals.”
For more information on the plan, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation.
