Department of Environmental Commission Commissioner Basil Seggos announced on Wednesday that he would step down from his position this spring after almost eight years.

Seggos, who was first appointed in 2015, is the state’s longest serving DEC commissioner.

The department released a statement saying that Seggos played instrumental roles in implementing the state’s climate initiatives including “protecting drinking water from emerging contaminants, directing record investments in natural resource and water quality protection, enhancing recreational access, and growing DEC’s workforce to more than 3,000 staff.”