Politics on the Hudson

After several holdups over the last month, the Senate Environmental Committee voted to advance the nomination of Alexander “Pete’’ Grannis to become the new head of the Dept. of Environmental Conservation.

Senators grilled Grannis, a longtime Democratic assemblyman from Manhattan, for about an hour Tuesday—after going 90 minutes a week ago—before voting to move his nomination to the Senate Finance Committee. It’s not certain when that committee or the full Senate will vote on Grannis. However, some activists said he’s cleared the major hurdle.

Three senators voted against Grannis: Betty Little, R-Queensbury, Warren County, Joe Griffo, R-Rome, Oneida County, and Cathy Young, R-Olean, Cattaraugus County. There are 14 members on the committee.