"The Senate yesterday unanimously approved three top-level Energy Department nominees and one Interior Department nominee.

The confirmed Energy Department nominees are Kristina Johnson, undersecretary of energy; Steven Koonin, undersecretary of science; and Scott Harris, general counsel. Larry EchoHawk was confirmed to be Interior's assistant secretary for Indian Affairs.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) had placed a procedural 'hold' on four DOE nominees, including Johnson, Koonin and Harris, over a public lands and mining bill he supports. Kyl said yesterday that he would lift the holds after working out an agreement with Democrats that he would get a hearing on S. 409, which would facilitate a new copper mine near Superior, Ariz."

Katherine Ling reports for Greenwire in the New York Times May 20, 2009. [2]