Melanie Stansbury: “it is undeniable that Letty Belin is somebody who will be remembered for her laugh, her kindness, and her compassion.…”

“it is undeniable that Letty Belin is somebody who will be remembered for her laugh, her kindness, and her compassion. Even when dealing with the most serious of subjects concerning the fate of our Nation's waters, Tribal water rights, the protection of lands and ecosystems, and their legal and policy arguments, it was her laughter, her love, and her kindness that shined through. The last time that I saw Letty was over a meandering cup of coffee, as they often were, on Stanford campus, where she was a twice-alum and where she contemplated the future of Western water as she often did. Letty Belin was most certainly one of the greatest legal and policy minds of our generation, working to protect the waters of the West, but Letty was also a dear friend and mentor to me and so many others who worked on Western water issues. She served as the lead counselor to two Deputy Cabinet Secretaries at the Department of the Interior; led the Environment Division at the New Mexico Attorney General's Office; spent decades practicing water, environmental, and Tribal law; and served on numerous boards. Above all else, she was a devoted parent to three children, loving grandmother, and friend who shared her deep love of wildlands, open spaces, and traveling the world. Mr. Speaker, it is with the greatest sadness that I rise this morning to honor the life of Letty Belin and her passing just a few weeks ago.”