DEC Does What?!

DEC’s Spills staff respond to more than 10,000 spills each year, part of the agency’s real-time emergency management of petroleum and hazardous and non-hazardous material releases that can have direct impacts to local streams, water supplies, and public health. In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by staff from DEC

In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by Julie Berlinski, a research scientist with DEC’s Bureau of Water Resource Management, and Division of Water environmental program specialists Alene Onion and Leila Mitchell, to discuss the need to reduce rock salt use and how to do it. While the use of rock salt on roadways and

In this episode, we explore the work of DEC’s Division of Water to protect the iconic Great Lakes, the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. DEC’s Great Lakes Program is the largest watershed by land area, working across over 42 percent of the state’s land area and along over 750 miles of shoreline. New York's Great Lakes Basin includes Lake Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ont

In this episode, we take a closer look at how DEC supported recovery efforts as part of the New York State Incident Management Team (IMT) operations in the city of Asheville, NC, following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald welcome Division of Forest Protection Forest Ranger Captain Adam Pi

November is Native American Heritage Month, a nationwide celebration of the contributions of Indigenous peoples and celebration of their heritage, traditions, culture, art, and history while acknowledging how society has impacted Indigenous peoples and culture. New York State was the first state to recognize ‘American Indian Day’ in 1916, originally observed on the second Satur

Hunting remains one of the most popular forms of outdoor wildlife recreation in New York State, with more than 565,000 licensed hunters generating approximately $1.5 billion in economic activity each year. In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by Timothy Pyszczynski and Brendan Quirion—Wildlife Biologists with DEC’s

Every October, more than 5,000 students and educators from across New York State participate in the annual A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor. The event provides opportunities for hands-on activities to encourage discovery and interest in protecting the Hudson River ecosystem. This episode, hosts Sean and Erica welcome Chris Bowser—Education Coordinator with DEC’s Hudso

DEC’s dispatch office receives more than 100,000 calls every year. Sean and Erica talk to Communication Specialist Alicia Bodmer and Communication Technician David McCasland from Ray Brook Dispatch about what it’s like to respond to challenging calls. From coordinating mountain and water rescues to deploying staff and equipment during extreme weather events, DEC dispatchers hea

Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States each year, more than hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding combined. In this episode, guest Dr. Leo Bachinger, Special Assistant with DEC’s Office of Climate Change, joins hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald for a conversation about the biggest risks created by extr

While HABs have existed for billions of years, recent changes—including climate change, warmer temperatures, and increases in phosphorous and other nutrients—are accelerating their growth and negative impact on New York’s environment, human health, pets, and summertime activities. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by Matt Kraft and Leanna Pierson, Research Scie