[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 159 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MAEVEEN MARIE BEHAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RAUL M. GRIJALVA

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2009

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an incredible 
public servant and community leader who has made an indelible mark on 
the Sonoran Desert region and on the community of Tucson, Arizona. 
Maeveen Marie Behan has changed the face of Pima County and will leave 
a legacy of successful community-based conservation planning and 
endangered species protection throughout the country by the work she 
has accomplished in Southern Arizona.
  Maeveen Marie Behan, JD, PhD, was born July 13, 1961 in Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin. Maeveen lived in numerous states as a child and graduated 
from the University of Georgia with a BA in English. While in high 
school, Maeveen was the first woman in Georgia to break the six-minute 
mile. She continued her athletic prowess on the tennis court and has 
always loved to run races in any city where she vacationed. She is a 
rabid lifelong Alabama football and Chapel Hill basketball fan.
  Maeveen met the love of her life, Harry Goldwasser, while they were 
students together at the University of Georgia. Harry and Maeveen 
married in 1986. Maeveen is devoted to her bloodhounds, ``Sweet Peas'' 
Charlie and Hermione, and has written a series of children's stories 
based on her dogs.
  After Maeveen received her Juris Doctorate from the University of 
Alabama School of Law, and her husband Harry completed his residency at 
UNC Chapel Hill, they moved to Arizona, where they lived in Chinle 
while Maeveen worked for the Navajo Nation. They moved to Tucson in 
1992 and Maeveen went to work for Pima County, where her career has 
encompassed numerous projects. In December 2006, Maeveen received her 
doctorate in Arid Lands Research Sciences researching the role of 
folklore in conservation; the title of her dissertation is Science and 
Lore in Animal Law. Reading up to four books a day, her interests are 
extremely diverse. She relishes mysteries, cartoons, myths, fables, and 
folklore throughout history.
  Her extraordinary intelligence, integrity and high standards are 
reflected in everything she sets her hand to. Maeveen has accomplished 
the culmination of her life's work over the last decade as the 
principal author and guiding light of Pima County's national award 
winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and as the first Director of 
the County's Office of Conservation Science and Environmental Policy. 
Maeveen is a prolific author, writing dozens of reports for the plan 
and directing over 200 others covering a wide variety of topics. 
Maeveen has been the leader in developing the County's efforts to 
preserve the key biological resources of the Sonoran Desert through a 
precedent setting Multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan. Maeveen has 
provided leadership for the community response to the listing of the 
cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl as a federally endangered species. The 
result has been hailed as a national model by local, regional and 
national media, planning and government agencies, and non-profit 
organizations for how to respond to the dilemma posed by urban growth 
and living with the environment. She recommended that the County 
broaden the scope of discussions to other important and vulnerable 
species as well as infrastructure, taxation, history, archeology, open 
space, housing, water, recreation and ranching. Instead of limiting the 
response to the boundaries of unincorporated Pima County, Maeveen 
suggested that the Board of Supervisors open the process to all 
affected entities, including ranchers, developers, environmental 
groups, tribal entities, interested citizens, and elected leaders of 
the incorporated entities.
  Maeveen Behan's efforts have catalyzed support for open space 
acquisition, funding for repairing wildlife corridors, improved 
cooperation among jurisdictions, strengthening of Federal land 
commitments, and revisions of County policies and procedures.
  Maeveen personally attended over 600 meetings with citizens and 
elected officials about the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and made 
herself available night and day for over 3 years. She also inspired the 
science community to participate in developing the Sonoran Desert 
Conservation Plan in a way that honored their integrity as scientists 
without intrusion of jurisdictional concerns or political pressure from 
interest groups. Maeveen also created the Sonoran Desert Kids program 
to educate and inspire generations of young citizens about the 
importance of the desert ecosystem.
  In 2001 the Board adopted the Conservation Lands System as the long-
term, locally adopted vision for balancing economic integrity and 
protecting natural resources and cultural heritage in Pima County. Pima 
County is completing the final draft of its Multi-Species Habitat 
Conservation Plan for submittal to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  Her commitment to transparency in government and to an open public 
process involving scientists, conservationists, business interests, 
multiple jurisdictions, government agencies and other stakeholders has 
been a model for the nation. Her keen insight, sense of duty, and humor 
inspires us all. Maeveen's professional and life mantra has always 
been, ``Just do the right thing''.

                          ____________________