SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Pat Quinn's pick to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources garnered little objection from the Illinois Senate on Friday.

Marc Miller, a Mattoon native, was confirmed unanimously along with U.S. Army Capt. Dan Grant as Department of Veterans Affairs director. Grant replaces Tammy Duckworth, who accepted a veterans affairs position in President Barack Obama's administration.

Quinn chose Miller, 40, in February to replace Kurt Granberg, a former state lawmaker who served as DNR head for less than three weeks. Since taking over, seven shuttered state parks and 12 historic sites have reopened that were closed because of a bitter budget battle between former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the General Assembly last year.

"We have made great progress at the agency," Miller said. "We are sending a strong message that our natural resources and conservation programs in Illinois are important."

Miller will earn $133,273 and Grant will make $115,613 a year.

Miller graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1991. He formerly worked for the Prairie Rivers Network, an environmental advocacy group. He joined Quinn's staff in 2004 as a liaison to the Illinois River Coordinating Council.

Miller said there is still uncertainty about the future of state parks and historic sites. Lawmakers are still working out the details of the budget and Quinn's proposal to merge the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency with DNR has yet to happen.

"If we have problems with our budget we may have to reexamine those and some of the scenarios may not allow us to keep parks open," Miller said.

Grant, 29, a West Point graduate, grew up in Detroit and now lives in Chicago. He served as a platoon leader and executive officer in Iraq and Germany.

Senators have yet to vote on Quinn's pick to head the Illinois State Police, Jon Monken.