The primary goal of Hanford Communities is to connect and inform the Tri-Cities community on Hanford cleanup news and updates. As a member of this community, all citizens have a right to have their voice heard. That’s where you come in.
Getting Involved
Part of our purpose is to provide the community with easy access to resources that can increase awareness of Hanford clean-up issues. Social media, this blog and website, as well as partnerships with local businesses and governments all play a role in spreading the word. With the guidance of Washington Department of Ecology, the US Department of Energy, Hanford contractors and others, we can help identify and support opportunities for local citizens to become more actively involved in Hanford issues.
Each month, the Hanford events calendar provides our community a list of various tours, public information meetings, workshops, conferences, public comment periods, along with public feedback opportunities related to the Hanford Advisory Board (HAB). These issues are of particular importance to the Tri-City community, and staying “in the know” on such topics can better inform and allow for greater interaction with government officials on issues that affect you.
Education Through Action
Understanding Hanford requires more knowledge than just newspaper or social media headlines. While we all live in this community and have a general understanding that the work being done at Hanford involves cleanup of nuclear waste, there is progress being made daily/weekly and things are changing all the time.
Hanford Communities works with civic organizations, professional societies, schools and colleges, and surrounding communities to arrange for speakers from the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program, the Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE contractors. The speakers share information about the current progress, challenges of the nuclear cleanup efforts, and how the cleanup will affect the region. Please let us know if your group is interested in hearing from one of these speakers.
Start Small
Because of the prevalence of virtual meetings, it doesn’t take a big commitment to attend and listen in on Hanford cleanup issues. Just register, log on, and listen. If you feel compelled to contribute your thoughts or concerns, you can do that. At minimum, by participating, you took an active role in informing yourself on topics that are happening at Hanford and in your community. Not bad for a Wednesday!