A legacy of pollution and neglect once left the James River and surrounding waterways in ecological crisis.

But decades of federal protections and grassroots advocacy have shown that nature can heal—if given the chance.

In this episode, Beth Roach, Vice Chair of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia and National Water Conservation Campaign Manager for the Sierra Club, shares her personal and professional journey in water protection. Beth reflects on the environmental trauma of growing up beside a toxic river and the powerful return of wildlife spurred by the Clean Water Act.

She describes how her tribe is leading efforts to reconnect people with their ancestral waters through cleanups and cultural engagement, and how the Tribal Coastal Resilience Connections project is building stronger bridges between Indigenous communities and government agencies.

Beth also discusses the rollback of wetland protections, Sierra Club’s national clean water campaigns, and why relationship-building is the enduring strategy to drive equity and resilience—even in politically turbulent times.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability. This episode is part of the Color Of Water series, a collaboration with the Water Hub.