Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis and DEC Region 3 Director William Janeway this week officially opened DEC's new environmentally friendly regional office in New Paltz. The pair also announced recent DEC "green" achievements in reducing energy use, increasing the use of renewable energy and increasing green purchasing.

From left, William Janeway, Commissioner Pete Grannis, New Paltz Supervisor Toni Hokanson and John Egan.

The new DEC Hudson Valley/Catskill regional office incorporates state-of-the-art design practices such as a geothermal heating-and-cooling system, windows and insulation that maximize natural light and save energy, and plumbing that reduces water consumption by 20 percent. This is the first DEC regional headquarters built to U.S. Green Building Council certifications, also known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) specifications.

Grannis also announced that DEC travel mileage has been reduced 10 percent since last August, when Gov. David Paterson called for belt-tightening measures in response to the economic downturn and the record state deficit. In Region 3, the vehicle fleet has been reduced from over 250 to 208.

Janeway is a former NYLCV board member.