Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Larry Hartig goes before the House State Affairs Committee tomorrow morning, 8 a.m.,for confirmation as successor to Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell.

Sure, the successor is a formality, but Alaska saw the chain of command in action after Gov. Sarah Palin resigned in July. Her confirmed successor to lieutenant governor, Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt, stepped aside when she unexpectedly pegged Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Craig Campbell for the post.

House State Affairs is chaired by Rep. Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage.

Hartig, who left a private law practice when appointed by Palin in 2007, appears loyal to Parnell. In a July 10 press release sent out by then-Lt. Gov. Parnell proclaiming that 100 percent of Palin's cabinet and senior leaders would stay on with his administration, Hartig is quoted.

Here's the quote from that press release:

"Lieutenant Governor Parnell has earned our trust and respect by being a strong leader behind the scenes," said DEC Commissioner Larry Hartig. "Now the rest of Alaska will get a closer look at the competence we've known all along."

And here's Hartig's bio, from the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Web page:

"Mr. Hartig is an attorney with more than 20 years experience in environmental law, regulations, permits and land use issues. Prior to his appointment in 2007 by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, he was in private practice as an attorney with the Anchorage law firm of Hartig Rhodes Hoge & Lekisch, PC. Joining the firm in 1983, Mr. Hartig worked primarily on environmental, natural resources, and commercial matters. His practice included assisting clients in obtaining environmental and other permits for natural resource development projects, as well as projects involving environmental compliance, and cleanup of contaminated properties. Clients included government, private developers, industry and Native Corporations, among others. He also worked as a landman in the Land/Legal Department of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company between 1972 and 1976.

Mr. Hartig has a B.A. from the University of Utah and received his J.D. from Lewis and Clark College . He is a member of the Alaska Bar Association, and a former member of the State Board of Forestry."