Thomas C. Kunkel came to the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center (LMCCC) in November 2006 with more than 20 years of experience in environmental conservation and management. As director of the environmental compliance department, Mr. Kunkel is responsible for ensuring that all construction projects in Lower Manhattan south of Canal Street, including the Fulton Street Transit Center, the permanent PATH Terminal, and the World Trade Center, comply with city and state environmental regulations.

Prior to joining the LMCCC, Mr. Kunkel spent nine years with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). In his most recent position as director of NYSDEC Region 2, Mr. Kunkel coordinated the monitoring activities of all municipal environmental projects, including those performed by the Port Authority, NYC Transit, Con Edison, and several city agencies including the Departments of Environmental Protection, Design and Construction, Sanitation, and Housing.

On September 11, 2001, Mr. Kunkel was appointed chief of operations for NYSDEC’s World Trade Center emergency response unit, where he oversaw the transport, transfer, staging, and disposal of WTC debris as well as coordinated environmental permitting, spills response, air and environmental monitoring, and facility inspection. While at NYSDEC, Mr. Kunkel also served as the deputy regional director and special assistant to the commissioner. 

Before joining NYSDEC, Mr. Kunkel held a variety of environmental affairs positions with Con Edison, Hoffman LaRouche, and Ogden Allied.

Mr. Kunkel holds a B.S. degree in environmental management and natural resources from Michigan State University. He is also certified in safety regulatory compliance, RCRA compliance, and as an asbestos and HazMat supervisor.