Updates from WV Rivers Coalition
April 2025
The WV Rivers Crew pauses for a quick photo for the books!
Hi friends!
This month, our team gathered at the beautiful Cacapon Resort State Park for our April staff retreat — a perfect spot to reflect, reconnect, and plan for the future. Over dinner, we heard from the Warm Springs Watershed Association (more on them below!).
Cacapon holds a special place in West Virginia’s history. Did you know it’s home to the highest peak in the eastern panhandle, Cacapon Mountain, standing at 2,320 feet? Here’s another trivia fact for you: “Cacapon” comes from a Shawnee word meaning “medicine waters.”
We left Cacapon feeling energized for the busy event season ahead. In this edition of our E-News, we share some important updates about our waters, but before we get into it, we’d like to invite you to save the date for our 35th Anniversary celebration.
On September 12, 2025, join us for an unforgettable evening of community, reflection, and planning as we celebrate 35 years of advocacy for our waters.
More details are coming soon — please save the date!
-Jennie Smith
Executive Director, WV Rivers Coalition
Waters of the United States: Big Changes Could Leave Our Waterways Unprotected
A West Virginia stream with small waterfalls.
Our Policy Specialist, Maria Russo, is heading to Washington, D.C., to provide comments on behalf of WV Rivers, urging the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain strong protections for our headwater streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act. Earlier this month, we also submitted a written comment.
Following the 2023 Supreme Court decision Sackett v. EPA, protections for “intermittent” streams and “isolated” wetlands are in jeopardy — a major concern for West Virginia, where nearly 40,000 miles of streams crisscross our mountains. These small streams, while often unnamed, are essential for clean drinking water, flood control, and the health of our entire river system, including the Ohio and Potomac Rivers.
Maria emphasizes that weakening WOTUS protections would not only risk our water supply but also increase the likelihood of devastating floods, threaten wildlife habitat, and reverse taxpayer-funded wetland restoration efforts. We’re calling on federal agencies to uphold a comprehensive definition of WOTUS that reflects the hydrologic reality of our state, where groundwater and surface water are inseparably connected.
Organizational Updates
Meet Carrie Decker! (If you haven’t already.)
We’re thrilled to welcome Carrie Decker to the WV Rivers team as our new Community Engagement Manager, who joined us earlier in April.
Carrie Decker is a nonprofit professional with over two decades of experience in management, operations, marketing, and communications. With a passion for rural communities and climate & energy justice, especially how it relates to resiliency, Carrie has worked to advocate on behalf of and alongside many organizations and individuals in the Mountain State. Carrie enjoys making connections and thriving relationships with communities to amplify diverse voices.
With lived experience in failing water systems and unreliable water hauling, Carrie knows clean water is a basic human right. Her tenure working with small businesses, tourism, and economic development in the state leads her to advocate for clean rivers and free access to them. A graduate of the 2024 Leadership WV cohort, Carrie earned her Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Penn State University.
When Carrie’s not building connections and growing WV Rivers’ community presence, you can find Carrie on her 84-acre ranch in Roane County with her kids, her animals, and a steady supply of fresh air and quiet.
Please join us in giving Carrie a warm welcome! You can introduce yourself by emailing [email protected].
Congratulations on your promotion, Crys!
We’re excited to share that Crys Bauer has been promoted to Development Manager and is now joining our team full-time, after previously serving part-time as our Membership Coordinator.
We’re thrilled to have her thoughtful and strategic leadership focused on expanding our membership activities and opportunities across the state.
Originally from Maryland, Crys found her heart—and home—in West Virginia. After dipping her toes in the Shenandoah River, she fell in love with the water, the mountains, and the vibrant communities that call them home. Within months, she proudly claimed the title of “adopted West Virginian” and immersed herself in the whitewater scene, learning how to be not just a skilled paddler, but a dedicated environmental steward and engaged neighbor.
Now based in Kingwood, Crys works to protect the state’s rivers, streams, hills, and hollers. Her education, hands-on experience, and deep passion for safeguarding West Virginia’s natural resources make her an invaluable member of the WV Rivers team. She also serves as the Membership and Fulfillment Secretary for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, a role she has held since 2022.
When she’s not hard at work building connections and advancing our mission, you can find her out on the trail—or in the river—with her family, friends, and her three adventure-loving dogs: Snoop Dogg, Master P, and Nelly.
Legislative Recap + Data Centers in WV
Caitlin Ware shared this photo with us after the public meeting on the proposed Data Center in Tucker County.
This 2025 legislative session ended this month with a major blow to local control: HB 2014 passed, fast-tracking data centers and power plants with no local input.
WV Rivers is closely tracking a new wave of development proposals for gas-powered data center campuses in West Virginia — projects that raise major environmental and community concerns. Mike Tony of the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that two neighboring gas-fired facilities are proposed in Mingo County by New York City-based Trans Gas Development Systems LLC. Meanwhile, in Tucker County, Fundamental Data LLC, based in Purcellville, Virginia, has proposed a similar project.
In Tucker County, the project has sparked strong opposition from residents and local leaders, who fear the facility’s environmental impacts — including strain on air and water resources — and are frustrated that new legislation (House Bill 2014) could limit the potential property tax revenue these massive projects would otherwise generate for local services.
Across the state, these proposals could lock West Virginia even further into fossil fuel dependence at a time when communities are calling for clean, resilient energy solutions. We’ll keep working alongside local advocates to raise awareness and push for responsible, community-centered development.
Read our full legislative recap from Policy Specialist Maria Russo.
Flooding Crisis Deepens: Our Work in Southern West Virginia
Toxic flood mud on the floors of a home in Mingo County, West Virginia. Communities still working to remove flood debris are now dealing with mold without much help from leaders. This photo was taken while our team members volunteered at Big Laurel Learning Center.
As extreme weather grows more frequent, so do devastating floods across West Virginia. Our team is engaged in conversations about urgently needed infrastructure upgrades and disaster preparedness. Many communities are still recovering from the February 14 flood, with little support from state or federal agencies. Once again, mutual aid groups are filling critical gaps.
We’ll continue working to uplift community-led solutions and advocate for the resources people need to rebuild stronger and safer. To support on-the-ground relief efforts, you can make a donation or volunteer your time with:
- Bluejay Rising
- Big Laurel Learning Center (please indicate your donation is for flood aid)
- West Virginia United Methodist Church – Disaster Response Ministries
Spotlight: Wyoming County Water Crisis in the News
Part of a mural in Wyoming County that reads, “The River is for All of Us.” Image from WOAY NewsWatch.
The water crisis in Wyoming County is gaining more attention thanks to a powerful three-part investigative series by Danny Delanty with WOAY NewsWatch. The series dives deep into the contaminated wells, legal battles, and questions facing families in southern West Virginia. Our Senior Scientist, Than Hitt, contributed valuable insights to the story and communities as they work to collect and test water samples.
Take a moment to watch and share “Inside the Water Crisis in Wyoming County,” WOAY’s Investigation:
A community meeting about these compounding water quality issues is scheduled for May 24th, beginning at 2:00 pm at the Casteel Event Center (129 Main Avenue, Pineville, WV).
More About Warm Springs Watershed Association
Southern WV Coordinator Mariah Clay got to experience the “healing waters” in the Warm Springs Watershed after our staff retreat — check out their photo embracing the flow!
At our April retreat, we were honored to hear from Warm Springs Watershed Association, a group making a big difference in their community. Founded in 2008, Warm Springs launched their water monitoring program in 2009 with help from the WV Save Our Streams program and Sleepy Creek Watershed Association.
When a major bypass project threatened the upper watershed in 2021, they quickly formed an alliance with WV Rivers and Trout Unlimited to ramp up monitoring efforts. Thanks to grant funding and training led by our former Staff Scientist, Jenna Dodson, they now monitor potentially affected sites weekly and after major rainfalls. Their dedication to protecting the healing waters of Warm Springs Run is truly inspiring — and yes, they insisted Mariah Clay get their feet wet during our visit!
Want to learn more? Check out our Monitoring Newsletter with Senior Scientist Than Hitt, and read our Q&A with Kate Lehman from Warm Springs Watershed Association linked below!
Podcast Feature: Mariah Clay & Autumn Crowe Talk Mountain Valley Pipeline with In Our Backyard
Image of the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Nicholas County, near Panther Creek Elementary School.
Mariah Clay, Southern WV Coordinator, and Autumn Crowe, Deputy Director, recently joined a podcast conversation with In Our Backyard on the resistance to the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) in West Virginia. They talk about how communities push back against this project, which continues to threaten fragile ecosystems, endanger drinking water, and disregard Indigenous and rural land rights.
Mariah and Autumn share how WV Rivers supports local efforts and the latest findings from our joint report with Downstream Strategies — which revealed that nearly 90% of stream and wetland crossings inspected were negatively impacted by MVP construction, with severe erosion and destabilization at many sites.
➡️ Explore the MVP Story Map and sign the petition: MVP Story Map
➡️ Read the full MVP Audit Report: Audit Report
