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2026 Honorary Degree Recipient

 

Headshot of Basil Seggos, white male in a suit and tie from the shoulders up looking at camera

 

Basil Seggos
Partner and Senior Policy Director, Foley Hoag

Basil Seggos 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 such as PFOA/PFOS and 1,4-dioxane. He also devised and launched the implementation of the state’s $4.2 billion Clean Water Clean Air Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.

Basil led the response and recovery to numerous natural and human-induced disasters and crises. He helped lead the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. He took several periods of leave to deliver humanitarian aid and ambulances in wartorn Ukraine. While in state service, Basil served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.