As the newbie communication manager for Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program, I’ve been swimming upstream in an alphabet torrent.
For years, I’ve been telling folks that one of my few regrets is failing to learn another language. I realize now that’s not entirely true. In my previous life I was senior writer and vice president for an ad agency that specialized in aviation. And though I’m not a pilot, I did become familiar with much of the aviation lingo. And I thought aviation shorthand was challenging.
To poach a metaphor I’ve heard a lot around NWP (that’s Nuclear Waste Program to the uninitiated), aviation is a lawn sprinkler to hazardous waste cleanup’s firehose.
Just a small taste of the many initialisms and acronyms that define efforts to clean up Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
Into the stew
From CFIT to CERCLA. TAWS to DFLAW. FADEC to RCRA.
Out of an alphabet frying pan into the initialism fire.
First, there’s the DOE-EPA-NWP’s TPA. That’s the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and NWP (you know that one already), who long ago entered into the Tri-Party Agreement.
Or how about Rev 9, Rev 8c, Site-wide Permit (officially, the Hanford Dangerous Waste Permit). Confusingly, all the same thing. Well, not exactly. Rev 8c is the one currently in effect. Rev 9 has been in the works for … a long time. Rev 9 will go into effect soon. Very soon.
Gable Mountain in the heart of Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The many programs known mostly by their initials are aimed at protecting this delicate habitat, among many other goals. 
Getting it straight
There’s a lot more, believe me. But I’ll spare you for now. FYI – CFIT, TAWS and FADEC are all aviation initialisms. FADEC = Full authority digital engine control. It controls your engine for maximum efficiency. TAWS = Terrain awareness and warning system. It tells you if you’re getting too close to something, such as, you know, the ground. CFIT = Controlled flight into terrain. Also known as a crash.
Translation: Making it real
Of course, all of this encoded jargon translates to real things with serious intent. It helps to know at least a few of them if you’re interested in digging into the complex issues and processes involved in cleaning up nearly five decades worth of hazardous and radioactive materials generated by the plutonium production process. Or, for straightforward, jargon-free news on Washington Ecology’s activities to regulate the clean-up, you can follow us on Facebook – Ecology’s Hanford Education & Outreach Network (@HanfordEducation) – and Twitter – Ecology Hanford (@ecyhanford).
So the next time there’s potential public interest when DOE, NWP and EPA talk about CERCLA’s impact on TPA or Rev 9 and RCRA, or what it means for DFLAW, we’ll be sure to let you know. We don’t want you throwing any CFITs.