Cuomo's DEC pick is good news for the environment

Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Joe Martens, president of the Open Space Institute, as the new head of New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation.  The embattled agency has been without permanent leadership since October, when outgoing Gov. David Paterson fired Commissioner Pete Grannis from his post, leaving DEC severely diminished.

Governor Cuomo has made a superb pick in naming Joe as the new DEC commissioner. Joe knows how Albany works and has a long, distinguished career in safeguarding the state’s natural resources. Joe will face significant budget challenges at an agency that has already borne disproportionate personnel and capital cuts. But he has the commitment and the vision necessary to get the job done. In choosing Joe, Gov. Cuomo has made New York’s public health and environmental protection a top priority for his administration.

As NRDC founder John Adams stated, Joe has a proven record of success, and the state will benefit enormously from his dedication to the environment.