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Congressional Daily Record
This section is a tribute, commemoration, or district-facing statement. It mentions members such as Joe Courtney. Extensions of Remarks are statements submitted for the official record, even if they were not spoken live on the floor.
Issued
April 20, 2026
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Extensions of Remarks
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Download official Extensions PDFReturn to issue contextHON. JOE COURTNEY
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary constituent and pay special tribute to Lois Bruinooge, who retires from The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV) this month after 20 years of dedicated service to the organization. TLGV is a non-profit organization connecting residents to the Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor, a landscape of farmland and forest spanning 35 towns across Eastern Connecticut and South-central Massachusetts. As TLGV transitions to new leadership under Ms. Francesca Kefalas, I would like to recognize Ms. Lois Bruinooge for her dedication to protecting the Last Green Valley.
Ms. Bruinooge began her career serving as an environmental lawyer protecting waters and woods with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. She later joined TLGV as a deputy director in 2006 and was promoted to executive director in 2014. Her command of environmental law and leadership drove her to success in spearheading efforts to care for the last stretch of dark night sky between Boston and Washington, D.C.
Ms. Bruinooge has led impressive initiatives to educate people about the environment. In 2009, she led the effort to paddle the entire Thames as a part of the TLGV Source to Sea Program. She also expanded TLGV's water quality monitoring, created a trail assessment program, and bald eagle monitoring. Moreover, she encouraged resident and youth participation in TLGV's programming. One of her most impressive accomplishments was organizing the annual Walktober event, attracting up to 120,000 visitors to participate in over 250 hikes, bikes, and paddles each year.
Ms. Bruinooge's time at TLGV was one of transformational, positive change for the organization. She forged ties between TLGV and agricultural, land trust, historical, and cultural organizations to build stronger conservation and sustainability efforts. In 2016, TLGV received over $6 million from USDA and millions more from regional programs to preserve their forests. In turn, TLVG has provided over $4 million in grants to local partners. Her collaboration with financial partners has increased revenue, created endowment funds, and heightened investments into environmental conservation. Her passion for outreach, financial expertise, and creativity have set TLGV on a path of undeniable success.
Ms. Bruinooge is a graduate of Boston College Law School and a resident of Waterford, Connecticut.
Mr. Speaker, as the Member serving the 2nd District of Connecticut, I have had the pleasure of seeing the impact of TLGV on the environment of Eastern Connecticut. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives and the American people, I express deep gratitude for Ms. Bruinooge's contributions during her two decades of service with The Last Green Valley. I join Ms. Bruinooge's family, friends, and colleagues in wishing her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.