In this episode of Breaking Ground, Making Waves, Planetary’s speaker series, Diana Philip speaks with Chris Moore, Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), about what it takes to restore and protect one of the most important watersheds in the United States. Chris reflects on his remarkable career spanning science, fisheries, oyster work, restoration, and policy at CBF, while also offering a window into the breadth of the Foundation’s work across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
As Chris explains, CBF’s work extends far beyond the Bay itself to the rivers, streams, and lands across a 64,000 square mile watershed spanning parts of six states and the District of Columbia. The conversation highlights CBF’s work in shoreline and oyster restoration, agricultural partnerships, urban restoration and greening, and policy advocacy across the region.
A standout part of the conversation is Chris’s reflection on CBF’s longstanding strength in policy advocacy. Alongside its restoration and science work, CBF has played an important role in policy discussions, legislative engagement, and public advocacy across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chris then points to wastewater treatment as one of the Foundation’s biggest policy areas, describing it as a real success story where stronger permits and major facility upgrades have helped drive significant reductions in pollution.
Chris also speaks thoughtfully about the balance between economic development and environmental conservation. Rather than treating them as opposing goals, he makes clear that CBF wants to see a growing and economically viable region, but in a way that protects natural resources and water quality. That perspective comes through in examples ranging from helping farmers adopt more efficient practices to supporting shellfish aquaculture that both depends on and helps improve clean water.
For Planetary, this conversation is a reminder of why Chris Moore and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation are such important and respected community stakeholders. Their work sits at the intersection of science, restoration, policy, education, and public trust. Diana also notes that Planetary was able to work in Norfolk at HRSD because of the wastewater regulatory framework already in place, which provided a benchmark for monitoring, underscoring the real-world importance of the kind of policy progress CBF has helped advance.
Watch the full conversation to hear how science, policy, restoration, and community leadership come together in the work of protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
We are truly grateful to Chris Moore for sharing his insights and thank Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia for the incredible work you do!
