Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s new Marine Resources headquarters located in the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s Nissequogue River State Park, Kings Park, Suffolk County. The new building, which features a range of sustainable green features, will serve as a central hub for DEC’s Division of Marine Resources and its essential work to manage and conserve New York’s marine fisheries, shellfish, and other protected marine life habitats.
“From recreational anglers out for a day to commercial shellfish harvesters who have fished our state’s waters for generations, the health of New York’s marine ecosystem is critical to the economic health of our coastal communities,” said Governor Hochul. “This new facility is evidence of our ongoing commitment to protecting New York’s diverse marine life while leading the way in the development of sustainable infrastructure.”
“New York’s sustained commitment to the protection and preservation of the region’s marine environment is evident in every feature of this new, state-of-the art green building that will enrich DEC’s work to conserve and protect our shared natural resources,” Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “With this new sustainable facility, DEC will be at the forefront of scientific research and environmental protection to safeguard our marine environments for future generations.”
State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “I’m grateful for the partnership with Commissioner Seggos and the DEC on the ongoing transformation of Nissequogue River State Park. The DEC Marine Resources headquarters is a great fit for this waterfront park, and our visitors will benefit tremendously from the enhanced year-round stewardship, programming, and law enforcement presence that the DEC will bring to the facility.”
The facility is LEED Silver-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council for energy efficiency construction. It includes water-use reduction and rainwater management features, environmentally conscious and low-pollution-emitting building materials, and facilitates the production of up to 100,000 kWh/year of solar-generated energy. Construction of the new $26 million facility was supported by funding from NY Works and is aligned with the goals of the Nissequogue River State Park Master Plan.
