Resources
Glossary
Common terminology referenced in different types of environmental work in the Bay Area.
Important Note:
Please be mindful that many terms and acronyms, while useful to know, can be oversimplistic and harmful if used without care. We encourage you to learn more about the historical and social contexts for environmental justice terms, and we invite you to improve upon this page as a “living” glossary. If there is a term that you think we should include, or that you think we should provide further reference items for, please let us know!
Enviro. Justice Acronyms
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act; Americans with Disabilities Act | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
DACs – Disadvantaged Communities; CalEnviroScreen | OEHHA
FMLA – Family and Medical Leave Act (Federal & State law that protects your job if you need to take care of a family member’s health or your own health, including serious mental health conditions); Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act FAQs | California Employment Development Department (edd.ca.gov)
AAPI – Asian American and Pacific Islander; Understanding the Term AAPI | (goodhousekeeping.com)
BIPOC, BI&POC, POC – Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
LGBTQ+, LGBTQIAA+ – Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer (or Questioning), Intersex, Asexual, Nonbinary GLAAD Media Reference Guide – LGBTQ Terms
MMIW, MMIWG, MMIWG2S, MMIP – Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit, People
NHPI – Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
POC – (See BIPOC)
CDI – Center for Diversity and Inclusion
D&I, DEI, DEIA, DEIB – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Belonging
EJ – Environmental Justice
EPOC – Environmental Professionals of Color
SAE – Subtle Acts of Exclusion
Technical Acronyms
BMP – Best Management Practice
CARB – California Air Resources Board
CalEPA – California Environmental Protection Agency
CEQA – California Environmental Quality Act
CRWQCB – California Regional Water Quality Control Board (SF Bay is Region 2, San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (ca.gov))
CWA– Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Federal Clean Water Act; https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act
DACs – Disadvantaged Communities; CalEnviroScreen | OEHHA
EPA, USEPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency; note that California is part of EPA Region 9 (Pacific Southwest)
NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act
NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, a federal permit program implemented through state programs; https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/npdes/
WDRs – Waste Discharge Requirements; in California, NPDES permits may also be referred to as WDRs
RWQCB – Regional Water Quality Control Board; note that the San Francisco Bay Area is Region 2
POC – Pollutants of Concern
QA/QC – Quality Assurance, Quality Control