[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24385-24386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF DOROTHY GREEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, every so often we encounter an individual 
who, wittingly or not, becomes a transformative figure--one who leaves 
a profound and permanent impact on countless lives and their community.
  Dorothy Green, founder of Heal the Bay and one of the most 
influential environmental leaders in California in the last generation, 
was such a person.
  An unlikely activist, Dorothy was a housewife and mother in the early 
1970s when her

[[Page 24386]]

brother was splattered with untreated sewage from an open drain at 
Ballona Creek, which runs directly into the Santa Monica Bay. Outraged, 
she convened a group of friends and activists in her living room to 
form what grew into the 15,000-member strong Heal the Bay. Under 
Dorothy's leadership, the organization has tackled everything from the 
health of marine life to oil spills to ocean water quality.
  But Dorothy's vision was much broader than the view from her living 
room window. She also founded the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers 
Watershed Council and the California Water Impact Network to educate 
Californians on water policy and to redefine how we use and think of 
water as a precious and limited resource.
  I cannot remember when I first met Dorothy Green. But I do remember 
being told that if I wanted to run for Congress she was the lode star 
on water issues. And she was! No issue was too big or too small for 
her, as long as it has something to do with water. From storm drains to 
the Peripheral Canal, she knew about it all and inspired thousands to 
join and support her efforts to fix dysfunctional policies.
  On October 13, 2008, Dorothy lost her battle with cancer. Yet her 
legacy will continue to motivate many. She fought for what she believed 
until the end. Five days before her death, she penned an op-ed piece 
from her hospice bed calling for sensible plans to preserve and treat 
the natural resource she spent her adult life defending.
  I am proud to have known Dorothy Green as a friend and colleague. She 
always focused on getting things done and never accepted the status 
quo. A brilliant grassroots organizer, her friends--and adversaries--
will all tell you of her relentless spirit, and modesty. She would 
probably tell me get to work rather than offer this tribute, but she 
deserves every bit of praise. The people of California and our 
priceless environment have lost a dear friend. I assure you, Dorothy, 
we will fight on.

                          ____________________