Statement By State Senator Liz Krueger On The Confirmation Of Alexander "Pete" Grannis As Commissioner Of The Department Of Environmental Conservation (dec)

"While the State Senate took longer than necessary to affirm our constitutional authority and formally review the credentials of my Assemblymember, Alexander "Pete" Grannis, as Governor Spitzer's nominee for DEC Commissioner, the mission is complete.

Throughout this extended process my colleagues have come to learn what I have known for many years: if you want a job done right, call on Pete Grannis. He was overwhelmingly approved this weekend by the full Senate.

Pete Grannis has been and will continue to be one of the people I most admire in Albany. Long before I had ever considered running for office, I knew him as my local legislator. Since I first ran for the Senate in 2000, I have had the privilege to get to know him closely as a colleague and a friend. He has spent over 30 years focused on and committed to strong, progressive public policy for our State. He is a principled man of integrity, passionate about the environment, and will do a knock-out job as DEC Commissioner.

Watching Pete answer question after question during his confirmation hearings documented his un-paralleled grasp of the role of DEC Commissioner, and the responsibilities he will have upon assuming the role. I am so excited to watch what Pete will do in his new position, including the implementation of Governor Spitzer's recently announced anti-global warming initiatives. New York truly has the opportunity to lead the nation under the combined leadership of Governor Spitzer and Pete Grannis.

While I will greatly miss having Pete Grannis as my colleague, I know that New York's environment is in good hands, and that this is the right move for him, and for our State."