Cleaning Up the Bomb Factory

"This is an ideal book for both specialists and lay readers curious about the interplay between local, state, and federal politics regarding nuclear weapons and human health. . . . Huegel's history suggests that at least some of today's public mistrust of the federal government can be traced to these battles over nuclear weapons production and environmental safety. Yet this well-written history is overall, and refreshingly, one of success. A timely book indeed."

* Technology and Culture *

"Cleaning Up the Bomb Factory is an innovative work that connects local antinuclear activism with global nuclear dilemmas. If the book were to be mapped, its narrative path would branch in multiple directions and dimensions, from the literal grassroots around the Fernald plant to the halls of Congress in Washington, from highly readable descriptions of the technical methods of uranium production to the complicated remediation procedures undertaken after Fernald’s closure. Huegel further explains the byzantine structure of DOE regulations as skillfully as he does the emotional journey of individual activists."

* H-Net Reviews *

"The book reads like an adventure novel . . . demonstrat[ing] that a scholar can both observe the highest scholarly standards of citation and documentation and captivate the reader's attention. Huegel integrates data from scholarly sources, government documents, archives, and interviews. The work is a case study, yet the findings regarding strategies and alliance-building are broadly relevant. The conclusions are nuanced. The book is a classic."

* Choi