Tom DiNapoli's selection to be New York State Comptroller, and Governor Spitzer's opposition to it, was the big news in Albany last month. But this month, all the news is centered on Assemblymember Alexander "Pete" Grannis (D-Manhattan) who was nominated by Governor Spitzer to be commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). He now faces what everyone predicts will be a highly charged and difficult hearing process, if he even gets that far.

 

Spitzer made the nominations of his environmental team -- Grannis for DEC commissioner and Judith Enck for deputy secretary for the environment -- a few weeks after "day one." Environmental groups across the state responded favorably to the team, and very few, if any, opposing voices surfaced. (Read our press statement here.)

 

But then came politics. Now critics, including the National Rifle Association and some of the state's most influential hunting and trapping organizations, have come out strongly against the Grannis nomination, charging that the DEC nominee will bring his alleged anti-hunting, anti-trapping agenda to his new post. This united front against Grannis has been trying to gain momentum, attempting to lure in the angler groups, who have been conspicuously silent on the issue. The state Conservative party joined the anti-Grannis noise a few weeks ago, similarly urging the state senate to reject the nomination for his record on hunting legislation.

 

Environmental and public health groups (including NYLCV) are doing their part by supporting Grannis via sign-on letters and media outreach. However, with the list of Spitzer nominations for other positions growing and budget negotiations right around the corner, it seems that the controversial Grannis nomination may not garner legislative attention until after the April 1 budget deadline.

 

This means that New York could be without an environmental leader for months at a time when the demand for environmental action is growing and governments across the nation are embracing bold new initiatives to move their states forward.