Vincent Sapienza

Vincent Sapienza is an American civil servant who is serving as the Chief Operating Officer of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. From 2017 to 2022, he was the agency's Commissioner.

Vincent Sapienza
Chief Operating Officer of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Incumbent
Assumed office January 31, 2022 (2022-01-31)
Mayor	Eric Adams
Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
In office October 3, 2017 – January 31, 2022
Mayor	Bill de Blasio Eric Adams
Preceded by	Emily Lloyd
Succeeded by	Rohit T. Aggarwala
Personal details
Education	Columbia University (BS) Hofstra University (MBA)

Biography

Sapienza graduated from Columbia University with a B.S. and an MBA from Hofstra University. He joined the City's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) after graduation in 1983.^[1]

Sapienza served as Deputy Commissioner of the DEP for its Bureau of Engineering Design and Construction, overseeing the construction of the New York City Water Tunnel No. 3 and the Croton Water Filtration Plant from 2014 to 2016, as well as Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment, which led to the creation of a citywide resiliency plan, from 2009 to 2014.^[2]

In 2016, Sapienza was named Acting Commissioner by then Mayor Bill de Blasio.^[3][4] On October 3, 2017, he was named to the position in a permanent capacity.^[5] He oversaw the $1 billion repair of the Delaware Aqueduct which involves the construction of a 2.5-mile bypass from the leaking portions inside the original tunnel.^[6][7] In 2020, he was named one of the "Energy & Environment Power 100" by City & State.^[8] However, his role in handling the 2019 sewage leak in Queens and the 2021 Hurricane Ida crisis was also criticized by the New York City Council.^[9][10][11]

In January 2022, Mayor Eric Adams named Sapienza chief operating officer of the DEP.^[12][13]

References

1. "Vincent Sapienza, Commissioner". New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
2. "Vincent Sapienza Named Commissioner of New York City's DEP". Underground Construction. October 9, 2017. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
3. Daisy (July 21, 2016). "Mayor de Blasio Assigns DEP Acting Commissioner". Water Watch NYC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
4. Lentz, Jon (September 25, 2017). "DEP acting Commissioner Vincent Sapienza on safeguarding NYC's most valuable resource". City & State NY. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
5. "Mayor de Blasio Names Vincent Sapienza as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection" (Press release). New York City Office of the Mayor. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
6. Hill, Michael (June 20, 2018). "Fixing a massive NYC plumbing leak, 55 stories underground". The Day. Newburgh, N.Y. Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
7. Santistevan, Ryan (November 30, 2018). "Construction on $1 billion Hudson River tunnel project is halfway done: DEP". Poughkeepsie Journal. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
8. "Energy & Environment Power 100". City & State NY. December 21, 2020. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
9. McKinley, Jesse; Rubinstein, Dana; Mays, Jeffery C. (September 3, 2021). "The Storm Warnings Were Dire. Why Couldn't New York Be Protected?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
10. Sommerfeldt, Chris (September 14, 2021). "NYC Council grills de Blasio officials over storm resiliency efforts after Hurricane Ida". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
11. Van Syckle, Katie (December 19, 2019). "Raw Sewage Flooded Their Homes. They Finally Know Why". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
12. "Tracking the Transition: Mayor Eric Adams Appoints His Government". Gotham Gazette. December 23, 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
13. "Mayor Adams Announces Appointments of Climate Leadership Team" (Press release). New York City Office of the Mayor. January 31, 2022. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.