History

Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights (POWHR) is an interstate coalition representing individuals and groups from Virginia and West Virginia dedicated to protecting water, land, and communities from harms caused by the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). 

We are part of a growing grassroots movement to stop fossil fuel expansion in Appalachia, including the MVP, and to kick-start the transition to a just and renewable future. We integrate the broader context of this pipeline fight into all our work, as part of a united fight to stop all new fossil fuel projects in the United States, combat environmental injustice, and meaningfully address the climate crisis.

Community Organizer Crystal Mello speaking at a pipeline protest in Roanoke, VA.

A protest against the pipeline in Roanoke, Virginia.

We strive to defeat the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), promote equitable, community-based energy alternatives, and engage our larger community in climate, ecological and environmental justice activism.

During our near-decade of existence, we have:

Exposed the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s environmental violations and protected our communities from its harm

  • Organized hundreds of people to travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate for their rights

  • Grown a diverse movement of landowners, Indigenous water protectors, elders, high school students, and climate activists that protect our community from environmental harm

  • Consistently organized cultural events to fuel our movement through art and music 

POWHR

POWHR began as a coalition of community members fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline. We have since evolved to a network of people fighting for environmental justice and climate action in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The meaning of our name has evolved with us.

The “W” in POWHR stands for “water”. As Indigenous water protectors at Standing Rock taught us, Mní Wičóni – which is Lakota for “water is life”. Since our start, we have stewarded the waterways of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, especially those threatened by methane gas pipelines like the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which crosses over 1,000 waterways.

The “H” in POWHR stands for “heritage”. The land we live and work on was stolen from Indigenous peoples by European settlers. Historically, Indigenous, Black, and communities of color have been erased from the story of Appalachia. However, we seek to tell the story of our work and communities in the fullest, most inclusive way. We acknowledge and discuss past and current wrongs, and center the many diverse voices that are building our future. As cultural organizers, we weave art and diversity into our environmental advocacy.

The “R” in POWHR stands for “rights”. A part of the fight to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline centered around the right to own land and the fight against eminent domain, where corporations and the government can take land from people. We also acknowledge the unequal distribution of rights in this country. Not everyone has the ability to own land and many do not experience the same level of protection of their fundamental rights. We advocate strongly for the right to protest for all individuals, as that is a critical part of how we advocate for systemic change. 

As POWHR grows, so does our understanding of our own name and purpose.

Non-Profit Structure

POWHR operates in a Joint Plan of Work with Virginia Organizing, a 501c3 organization that accepts grants and donations on behalf of POWHR. Virginia Organizing is officially registered with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209. You can write to this Department for all relevant financial statements and procedures regarding the solicitation of contributions.