[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 45 (Monday, March 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MAXINE KORTUM DURNEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 19, 2012

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maxine 
Kortum Durney, who passed away on January 24, 2012, at her home in 
Petaluma, California. Durney was a lifelong naturalist, a leader in the 
Sonoma County conservation movement, and a tireless advocate for the 
unique natural environment that makes our region such a special place 
to live.
  Durney was born in Santa Cruz in 1921 and raised in Petaluma, a 
community to which she returned regularly even after her family and 
career took her elsewhere across Northern California. After studying at 
Santa Rosa Junior College and UC Berkeley, Durney became a librarian at 
Petaluma Public Library. She later worked in libraries in Red Bluff, 
Fremont, and Santa Rosa, where she developed her passion for local 
history, and public service, and the preservation of our natural 
heritage.
  In 1972, Durney was recruited by her brother, Dr. Bill Kortum, into 
an active role in the campaign for California's Proposition 20. The 
successful Proposition led to the establishment of the California 
Coastal Commission and a landmark change in our approach to 
conservation and development in threatened public spaces. Durney's work 
was vital in the hard-fought victory, and in ushering in a new era for 
environmentalism in California.
  Durney brought the same attention to her work locally, where she was 
instrumental in cleaning up creeks and watersheds, and in engaging the 
public to better appreciate and care for our shared resources. In her 
role on the board of the Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation 
District, Durney also demonstrated a collaborative approach to 
environmental stewardship. She understood that everyone has a stake in 
sustainable water and land management, and she made a particular effort 
to share that message with Sonoma County youth.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing a woman who has 
made immense contributions to our environment. Maxine Kortum Durney's 
legacy lives on in the revitalized watersheds and wild California 
coastline that will be treasured by generations to come.

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