February 17, 2011

Senate Committee To Hold Confirmation Hearing For New Secretary Of DEP March 2

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider the nomination of Acting Secretary Michael Krancer for Secretary, Department of Environmental Protection on March 2.
The hearing will be held in the Senate Majority Caucus Room starting at 9:30.
Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) serves as Majority Chair of the Committee and Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne) serves as Majority Chair.
The process for Senate consideration of individuals Gov. Corbett nominated to fill cabinet positions began to roll forward this week with the referral of 13 nominations to their appropriate standing committees for hearings.
Gov. Corbett has yet to name his picks for the departments of Labor and Industry and Conservation and Natural Resources.
The nominees referred include:
-- Acting Secretary of Environmental Protection Michael Krancer to the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Banking Glenn Moyer and Acting Insurance Commissioner Michael Consedine, to the Banking and Insurance Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele and Acting Secretary of General Services Sheri Phillips to the State Government Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Community and Economic Development Alan Walker to the Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel to the Judiciary Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis to the Education Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Health Eli Avila and Acting Secretary of Public Welfare Gary Alexander to the Public Health and Welfare Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Revenue Daniel Meuser to the Finance Committee;
-- Acting State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan to the Law and Justice Committee;
-- Acting Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch to the Transportation Committee.
Traditionally, each nominee must meet or offer to meet with each of the Senators before a vote can be taken on his or her nomination. There are also a variety of financial interest and other forms which must be filed with the Senate. Filling these forms is typically what leads to some delay in the referral of nominations.
It is up to the individual committees to now hold hearings or otherwise consider the nomination of each candidate.