Mountain Valley Pipeline

Mountain Valley Pipeline would:

  • Increase our dependence on fossil fuels and fracking. Studies estimate the typical fracking “spillage” (release) of methane to be up to 9% of production. Natural gas is 98% methane, a colorless, odorless gas 80 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2.

  • Cross numerous watersheds, rivers, streams, springs, wetlands and riparian areas. 

  • Impact the nationally known and highly popular recreational features including the George Washington National Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Eastern Trail, and the iconic Appalachian Trail. 

  • Pass through numerous areas riddled with karst geology, putting residents at risk for explosions, fires, chemical leaks, and other disasters. The blast radius for a 42-inch pipeline moving gas at 1400 pounds per square inch is1100 feet. Sources of fresh water would be threatened by blasting and ditching 

  • Violate property rights. Gas companies may go to federal court and use eminent domain to seize property rights of way that landowners are unwilling to grant. 

  • Cause significant losses in property values. The restricted use of land on the easement, along with the tremendous threat of explosion will make habitation less attractive, and properties less marketable.

Piping natural gas through an earthquake zone is very risky. There is no precedent for a 42” pipeline crossing terrain like ours. In Roanoke County, the pipeline runs very close to Spring Hollow Reservoir, a must-have source of freshwater. It then crosses Bottom Creek twice, threatening the integrity of the Bottom Creek Gorge Natural Area Preserve and aquifers providing drinking water to the Roanoke metropolitan area. The pipeline then proceeds southward to cross an extensive array of wetlands.

Through an act of congress, in late July, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court gave Mountain Valley Pipeline the OK to resume construction activity following a lower court’s orders earlier this month to halt such activity. By removing the lower courts’ ability to review the pending cases against the pipeline, Congress is effectively picking a winner, MVP, and therefore is infringing upon the lower court’s judicial power.

Though work has resumed, legal challenges are possible. It’s not over until it’s over.

Take Action

Contact your local, state, and federal legislators and officials to share your concerns about the impact of the Mountain Valley Pipeline on our frontline communities’ homes and land, our air, our drinking water sources, and our natural resources. Urge them to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline, ask what they are doing now to stop the pipeline, and tell them why this is a high priority for you. 

Find your Virginia and U.S. Legislators 

Learn More and Join Others to Fight the Mountain Valley Pipeline

MVP Construction Monitoring

A group of volunteers helps monitor pipeline construction sites to record and report on erosion and sediment issues and other water quality matters. It operates as part of the MVW (Mountain Valley Watch).

Mountain Valley Watch is an element of POWHR (Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights), which is a collaborative effort among volunteers, non-profits and private interests including the Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, Appalachian Voices, New River Geographics, SouthWings, various “Preserve”  groups and others

To REPORT violations to Mountain Valley Watch:

Pipeline violations can be reported to the Mountain Valley Watch via our online

Erosion Control Survey Form, via email at mountainvalleywatch@gmail.com, or through the MVW hotline by text or voice at (833) 689-2824.

Go to the POWHR website: POWHR.ORG for up to date news on opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

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). 2022 MVP background and POWHR talking points