Great news! 2006 LOHV-NYC endorsee and current NRA opponent Assemblyman Pete Grannis is one step closer to heading the DEC. Newsday's Jennifer Smith reports: "Gov. Eliot Spitzer's nominee for environmental conservation commissioner got one step closer to the job yesterday, clearing the state Senate's Environmental Conservation Committee by an 11-3 vote.That committee was considered the biggest hurdle for Assemb. Alexander "Pete" Grannis (D-Manhattan). But he still must be approved by the Senate's finance committee before the matter comes before the full Senate for a vote.
"It was frustrating that it took so long, but it worked out fine and I anticipate the next round will turn out accordingly," Grannis said, adding that he was concerned about the impact the vacancy in the post was having on the agency.
It was not clear last night when the finance committee, which is headed by Sen. Owen Johnson (R-West Babylon), would next meet.
Yesterday's hearing was a continuation of one cut short last week because "we're in the middle of a budget process," said Senate Environmental Committee Chairman Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset).
This week, Grannis faced more questions that highlighted the wariness with which upstate Republicans view him. The three no votes were cast by upstate legislators.
Catharine Young (R-Olean), a western New York lawmaker who voted against Grannis, asked whether as DEC commissioner he would restrict hunting on public lands (his answer was "absolutely not"). She also asked whether he would speed up the agency's timeline for approving new agricultural pesticides.
That gave Grannis an opening to criticize the Senate's proposed budget, which would cut about 55 new DEC staff positions in Spitzer's budget. "The resources have to be there in order to speed up the process," he said.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/state/ny-stdec285148200mar28,0,3980662,print.story?coll=ny-statenews-headlines