Basil Seggos
Basil Seggos is Partner and Senior Policy Director with Foley Hoag LLP. He is widely known for his extensive experience creating and implementing groundbreaking policy focused on energy, climate and environment in both federal and state contexts. He has deep knowledge on how to successfully deliver multidisciplinary projects, advise corporate strategy, and analyze law and regulatory policy.
Basil works on renewable energy and environmental issues, complex project siting and permitting, environmental compliance, remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land, government and stakeholder relations, and crisis management. His practice also includes climate change resiliency and adaptation, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, environmental sustainability and environmental corporate social responsibility.
Basil previously served as the longest-tenured Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, from 2015 through 2024. As chief of an agency of over 3,300 professionals, he positioned New York State as a global leader on climate and the environment. In this capacity, he oversaw programs and policy that included protecting and restoring New York State’s air, lands, and waters and combatting climate change through fostering the clean energy economy. Basil’s experience included overseeing the continued rebuilding of the state’s water infrastructure and devising and implementing statewide climate resiliency defenses.
Basil was instrumental in the passage of New York's nation-leading climate change law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and served as the co-chair of its implementing body, the Climate Action Council. He also devised and was responsible for the $5.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act, oversaw the nation’s largest Clean Water/Drinking Water revolving loan program, and spearheaded the reauthorization of the State's Superfund law, reforms of the Brownfield Tax Credit program and numerous Environmental Justice and Indian Nations Affairs programs. As co-chair of the State's Drinking Water Quality Council, Basil oversaw the establishment of the nation’s most protective water quality standards for emerging contaminants. He also devised and launched the implementation of the state’s $4.2 billion Clean Water Clean Air Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. He led the response and recovery to numerous natural and human-induced disasters and crises, and helped lead the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Prior to his role as NYSDEC Commissioner, Basil worked as an advisor to the New York State Governor, and in various capacities at Hugo Neu Corporation, Riverkeeper, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Basil also served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Following his military service, Basil has taken multiple periods of leave to deliver humanitarian aid and ambulances in war-torn Ukraine. He serves as a fellow with the National Security Institute and the American College of Environmental Lawyers. He is a member of the boards of Ukraine Focus, A Better City, WeAct for Environmental Justice, and the Thousand Islands Land Trust.