The Pennsylvania Senate has unanimously confirmed Patrick McDonnell as secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which regulates oil and gas development in the state. His confirmation comes a year after he took over as acting secretary for John Quigley, who resigned in May 2016, and about eight months after Gov. Tom Wolf nominated him to serve in the position. A longtime state government employee, McDonnell previously served as the agency’s policy director, overseeing regulatory development.