West Virginia Rivers Coalition

We're excited to see our friends at New River Conservancy this evening. They're hosting an after-hours Meet & Greet at the Canyon Rim Visitors Center in Lansing, WV, from 5:30 pm-7 pm! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dRCuQQwp ??: "When Fall meets Winter" - courtesy of Chris Tope

?? Our Clean Water Mural is now on display at the Cabell County Public Library until December 10th! ?? Created during the 10-year commemoration of the 2014 Elk River Chemical Leak, this vibrant and whimsical mural celebrates the beauty of West Virginia’s streams and our shared dream for clean water access across the state. Guided by artist Nichole Westfall — who grew up on the Elk River and now resides in Huntington — our community helped bring this mural to life. ?? Where: Cabell County Public Library ?? When: Now through December 10, 2025 Stop by, take in the mural’s beauty, and join the conversation on protecting West Virginia’s waters! ?? Next, the mural will travel to Braxton County, WV where it will be on display until January 9, 2025. #CleanWaterForAll #WVStreams #CabellCounty #WVCommunityArt #WaterIsLife

Last week, Jefferson County residents showed the power of their voices. Over 50 residents, environmental advocates, and local farmers spoke at a public hearing, urging the Planning Commission to protect local water resources from the proposed Mountain Pure water bottling facility. https://lnkd.in/e4caXgxU

?? Important Public Meeting on Environmental Health in Fairmont! ?? The Fairmont Brine Processing Facility has been found to have radiation levels up to 30 times higher than normal background levels, posing serious health risks to our community. ?? Despite ceasing operations in 2018, the contamination still threatens public safety. Join us to hear updates from the EPA and share your concerns. ?? ?? Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024 ?? Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. ?? Location: 416 Adams St, Fairmont, WV Learn about: ?? Radiation risks and health impacts ?? EPA's cleanup and safety plan ?? How to protect the Monongahela River and our communities Your voice matters! Don’t miss the chance to get informed and advocate for a safer, cleaner future. ???? P.S. We've created a fact sheet about the facility to help you prepare for the upcoming meeting. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dt6bx8Qk

?? Who’s Protecting Our Water? Tomorrow night, come watch The Cost of Forever by Southern Exposure Films and meet the local Riverkeepers and water protectors standing between our communities and the dangers of PFAS contamination. Discover the high stakes of protecting our rivers and our drinking water from the hidden threat of ‘forever chemicals’ and join the conversation about what we can do to solve this problem. ?? Date: November 13, 2024 ?? Location: Anthony Hall, Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry, WV ? Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM ???? Tickets are free — don’t miss out! We’ll bring the Mountaineer Popcorn Company. ???? ??? Reserve yours here: https://lnkd.in/dWeByA9v

Join us for a powerful double-feature screening this Wednesday at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. One of the films we will show is Keepers of the Land Film. Set in the majestic Great Bear Rainforest, this story of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation’s journey to reclaim stewardship of their lands inspires us to consider how community-led resilience and cultural connection are essential for tackling today’s environmental challenges. As they confront the impacts of colonial mismanagement, we, too, face the legacy of pollution in our waters. Let's learn from their strength as we confront the #PFAS contamination crisis here in #WestVirginia. Together, we will protect our communities and restore the health of our waterways. Get your free ticket here: https://lnkd.in/dWeByA9v

Last month, Dr. Nathaniel "Than" Hitt, the senior scientist here at WV Rivers Coalition, met with eighty students from eight schools from all three Eastern Panhandle counties. They talked about how biology, economics, and climate change all affect the health of water in the Eastern Panhandle -- and how our future leaders face a great challenge. During his presentation, Than stated, “The water managers of the future will not have the luxury of thinking about only one thing at a time. They must think about the integration of multiple things at once.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/exaFMgUg

Help protect West Virginia's rivers and streams with just your phone! With this free app, you can easily monitor local waterways by snapping photos and submitting observations. WV Rivers staff can even report your observations to the WV Department of Environmental Protection or follow up with you. Ready to get started?

Whether you’re already engaged with us on PFAS contamination, want to learn more, or just want to spend some time with like-minded folks, WV Rivers Coalition invites you to a community film screening and conversation on the PFAS crisis affecting West Virginia’s water systems. ?? Double Feature Films: The Cost of Forever & Keepers of the Land Film ??? Free tickets: https://lnkd.in/dWeByA9v ?? When: November 13, 2024, 6:00–8:00 PM ?? Where: Mather Training Center, Anthony Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (51 Mather Pl, Harpers Ferry, WV) After the films, we’ll discuss the latest steps in tackling PFAS pollution statewide, including recent progress with the PFAS Protection Act. Plus, we’ll hear from local community leaders and the WV Rivers team on creating site-specific action plans to protect our water. ?? ?? Refreshments provided! ?? Find resources and ways to get involved. Bring friends and family! Let’s come together to protect our communities from harmful "forever chemicals" and ensure a future with safe, clean water. ???? Hope to see you there! S/O to our incredible partners on this one: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, American Conservation Film Festival Potomac Valley Audubon Society, Ranson Community Gardens, Elks Run Watershed Group, Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle, & Safe Water Conservation Collaborative ?? Graphic by Studio Kelsie ??

?? TONIGHT IN DUNBAR, WV: Project Developers are hosting an “Open House” on ARCH2 as required by the Department of Energy, where attendees can speak directly with company representatives. Let them know how you feel about your tax dollars being used to bring more pollution to our communities. ?? The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved and set aside your tax dollars to build the Appalachian Regional “Clean” Hydrogen Hub, also known as ARCH2. This is a proposed network of facilities across 3 states -- West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ARCH2 would use methane gas to make hydrogen and use risky, experimental technology to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2) waste deep beneath our feet. ?? Increased fracking will bring additional harms to our communities -- from radioactive waste to methane emissions that accelerate climate change. ARCH2 would bring more air and water pollution and more pipeline construction to West Virginia. ?? Communities in our region still don’t have answers to many basic questions about this network of facilities, including the complete list of companies participating in ARCH2 and the specific locations for most of these facilities. ?? Just before and right outside the Open House, we’re gathering with partners across the region to show these companies that we don’t want to be locked into additional fossil fuel infrastructure that pollutes our air and water. ?? Speak Out Against Dirty Hydrogen in West Virginia! ?? Location: Wilson University Union, West Virginia State University, Dunbar, WV ?? Date: November 7, 2024 ? Time: 5:30 - 9 PM