Joseph Seebode named deputy commissioner of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
TRENTON, N.J. — Acting Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Ed Potosnak announced Wednesday the appointment of Joseph J. Seebode as deputy commissioner, a role in which he will help advance the Sherrill administration’s environmental priorities.
As deputy commissioner, Seebode will serve as second in command at the DEP and oversee efforts to protect air and water quality, advance climate resilience, preserve natural resources, expand public open space and promote environmental justice, among other responsibilities.
“Joe’s on-the-ground experience advancing projects with the Army Corps will be a major asset in accomplishing the Sherill Administration’s mission to deliver for the people of New Jersey by reducing permitting times while protecting health, safety and environment,” Acting Commissioner Potosnak said. “In particular, his wealth of knowledge in building and growing partnerships will be critical to ensuring the protection of our air, land, water and natural resources.”
Seebode, an environmental engineer with more than 40 years of experience, returns to the DEP after a career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he most recently served as deputy district engineer and chief of programs and project management for the New York District. He previously served as a DEP assistant commissioner in the early 2000s.
“I am excited to return to DEP and work with its deeply talented team of scientists, engineers and professionals to continue raising the bar on environmental protection, stewardship and permitting turnaround times,” Seebode said. “From coastal resilience to brownfields redevelopment, the projects and policies we undertake today will protect and strengthen our environment for future generations.”
In his most recent role with the Army Corps, Seebode oversaw an interdisciplinary team delivering major military and civil works construction projects and regional infrastructure improvements in New York, New Jersey and Greenland.
His leadership at the Army Corps included overseeing post-Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts such as tunnel dewatering, emergency dredging, coastline repairs and debris removal. He also played a key role in a $2.1 billion deepening project at the Port of New York and New Jersey and led development of a comprehensive environmental restoration strategy for the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary.
In December 2025, Seebode received the Richard J. Sullivan Award as part of the DEP’s annual Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards program, recognizing his contributions to coastal resilience, environmental restoration and sustainable water management.
From 2003 to 2006, Seebode served as a DEP assistant commissioner on an intergovernmental detail, overseeing a team involved in environmental engineering and remediation activities.
Seebode earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Manhattan College. He is a graduate of Seton Hall Prep and a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
