Too Hot to Touch

"Coming from a concerned environmentalist perspective, this is an outstanding, well-researched book, containing a wealth of information about the global issue of radioactive waste, and presented in a highly readable style."
Professor Bill Lee FREng, co-director, Centre for Nuclear Engineering, Imperial College London

"This is a fascinating and highly readable book from authors with deep knowledge and a wealth of sharp (and often amusing) insights into the ups and downs of the US radioactive waste management programme. It will appeal especially to geologists, nuclear scientists and technologists with a taste for the lessons of history, particularly those experiencing today the difficulties of implementing solutions to a complex technical problem that is also highly charged, politically and societally."
Professor Neil Chapman, MCM Switzerland and University of Sheffield

"With Congress considering plans to restart the search for a burial site … Too Hot to Touch lays out some critical questions for the jostling parties to think about."
Matthew Wald, The New York Times

"Well-written, well-organized, even-handed, and extremely well-documented."
WaterWired

"I encourage anyone remotely interested in the topic to buy a copy … this is a very affordable book. The authors have done a remarkable job of making the scientific information accessible to lay persons. I certainly learned much about national laboratories, the role of the DOE, the National Academy of Sciences, and the amazing and complex ramifications of politics. Woven in are biographies of scientists and lots of side science stories, from ocean currents to the origin of Monte Carlo simulations. Treatment is fair: you get the sense that the authors tried hard to present the facts and all sides of the story. This book would be ideal for using in a seminar class … a fascinating read."
Pierrette Tremblay, Elements

"… well-written, informative and substantive [with] many fun facts woven into the history … an excellent book and a nice technical review for anyone wanting to comprehend why the task of dealing with this trash has been so mired in obstacles."
Robert Hayes, Physics World

"… offers a well-written, sober account of this sorry, continuing chapter in the development of the US nuclear industry."
Natural Hazards Observer

"William and Rosemarie Alley weave a powerful and compelling narrative … The book is both enlightening and enjoyable to read … The relevance of hydrogeology to such a globally critical issue makes Too Hot to Touch a worthwhile and highly recommended read for all hydrogeologists, as well as for a much broader audience with an interest in radioactive waste disposal."
Leonard F. Konikow, Hydrogeology Journal

"This excellent book reviews the never-ending search for a safe, durable solution for storing or disposing of high-level nuclear waste … well documented … Highly recommended."
R. M. Ferguson, Choice

"… [a] masterly account by the former Chief of the Office of Groundwater of the US Geological Survey and his spouse. Bill and Rosemarie Alley's tale … documents how politics, litigation, and self-interest can interfere with a technical task of the highest importance."
Richard Jackson, The Geological Society of America

"… a fascinating and well-told tale spanning six decades from the immediate post-World War II era to the present day … It serves as a primer on the scientific issues and terminology that the reader requires to make sense of the issue …"
E. M. Kwicklis, Geofluids

"… a thorough history of nuclear waste generation and disposal … both engaging and insightful. It is enriched by numerous anecdotes and biographical sketches that are frequently amusing or disconcerting … reasonably priced and should be of interest to a broad audience."
Alan E. Fryar, Groundwater