| Waste Is a Terrible Thing to Mind: Risk, Radiation, and Distrust of Government 2007 Edition Contributor(s): Weingart, John (Author) |
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ISBN: 0813542375 ISBN-13: 9780813542379 Publisher: Rutgers University Press OUR PRICE: $37.00 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2007 Annotation: It is a compelling, suspenseful, and amusing insider's account of New Jersey policy and politics, but it is also a larger saga of the challenges facing society in the post-9/11 era when the public's distrust of government is increasing at the same rate that its sensitivity to health and safety threats is heightening. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science | Public Policy - Environmental Policy - Political Science | American Government - State |
| Dewey: 363.728 |
| LCCN: 2007012713 |
| Series: Rivergate Regionals Collection |
| Physical Information: 0.88" H x 5.48" W x 8.47" (1.14 lbs) 427 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Northeast U.S. - Cultural Region - Mid-Atlantic - Geographic Orientation - New Jersey |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: It is an unenviable task, but one that all state governments face: finding a final "resting place" for low-level nuclear waste from power plants, hospitals, university laboratories, and other industries. John Weingart was the official in New Jersey who for many years led this onerous charge. This book is the story of how he and a commission appointed by the governor, instead of imposing a top-down solution, designed an approach that would confront public fears by seeking a community that would volunteer to host a disposal facility. Initially, this novel approach was surprisingly successful, as leaders in a dozen municipalities stepped forward to say they might be interested. Once their interest became known, however, the process in each town derailed. Residents demanded assurances of zero-percent risk and expressed profound distrust of government assertions and promises. Waste Is a Terrible Thing to Mind is a compelling, suspenseful, and amusing insider's account of New Jersey policy and politics, but it is also a larger saga of the challenges facing society in the post-9/11 era when the public's distrust of government is increasing at the same time that its sensitivity to health and safety threats is heightened. For more information, see: http: //wasteisaterriblethingtomind.com/"Written with a wry sense of humor, it is a pleasure to read and could provide the blueprint for future efforts to find locations for controversial land uses." "A penetrating look at one state's struggle with radioactive waste ... offering some tantalizing reflections on the public understanding of science and how we, in a democratic society, deal with complexity and uncertainty." "A provocative story, laced with humor, demonstrates how public distrust of government can make it impotent. It should be read by anyone working on public policy issues, especially planning, growth, and the environment." "Readers interested in environmental policy, land use and how governments make decisions will learn much from this fine reflective insider's account. It's also a primer on how to survive and thrive in state government." "... a fascinating case study of how a government agency creatively tried to solve an intractable public issue. Although the agency failed in its quest to recruit a town to host a low-level radioactive waste site, Weingart's detailed and often humorous narrative of the agency's efforts is a clear winner." "... a very engaging and sometimes discouraging case study about the pitfalls and perils of trying to site a controversial facility the right way." |