By Avery Palmer, CQ Staff

The Senate confirmed former New Jersey environmental chief Lisa P. Jackson on Thursday to be Environmental Protection Agency administrator after a Republican senator dropped his objections.

Republican John Barrasso of Wyoming had delayed a vote on Jackson scheduled to take place earlier this week when the Senate confirmed several Cabinet nominees on the same day as President Obama’s inauguration. Barrasso, who said he was on an airplane at the time, did not agree to the process for expediting Jackson’s nomination.

Barrasso’s concerns were not so much with Jackson as with Carol M. Browner, who will take a new White House position on energy and environmental policy that does not require Senate confirmation. Some Republicans and other critics want to make sure Browner is accountable to Congress if she is involved in policy decisions.

Barrasso represents the nation’s largest coal-producing state, which would be affected by major environmental legislation or executive action.

“He wants to know just how that role will function,” said spokesman Greg Keeley, adding that Barrasso “wants to be convinced that Congress will be able to get answers from Carol Browner when and if they are needed.”

However, Barrasso said he spoke with Browner earlier Thursday and also had a chance to review documents related to Jackson’s confirmation hearing. While he did not elaborate on how his concerns were resolved, Barrasso said he would support the nomination.

“I plan to vote in favor of Lisa Jackson,” Barrasso said.

Senators confirmed Jackson’s nomination by voice vote.

The Senate also confirmed Nancy H. Sutley, Obama’s pick to chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality, by voice vote.

“I am really pleased that the Senate has taken the first steps toward restoring the EPA and CEQ to their proper role as organizations that fight to protect the health of our families and the safety of our air, our water and our planet,” Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California said in a statement after the confirmation. Boxer chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Emily Ethridge contributed to this story.

First posted Jan. 22, 2009 10:57 a.m.