'This well-written book is not only an important contribution to our understanding of nuclear waste disposal, but also to the broader issues of public participation and collective action in our federal system.'Robert Duffy, Professor of Political Science, Colorado State University and author of Nuclear Politics in America: A History and Theory of Government Regulation'Daniel Sherman's book asks: 'What determines the collective mobilization of local opposition to the siting of nuclear waste facilities?' 'Why do different locales use different collective tactics of opposition?' 'And what effects do varying levels of mobilization and varying tactics have on the implementation for these policies?' Arrived at through a persuasive combination of statistical and case study methods, Sherman's answers to these questions hinge on the political contexts of the sites chosen and on the responses of local officials. In the inevitable clash between technological imperatives and local interests, neither policy-makers nor environmentalists can afford to ignore the lessons of this book.'Sidney Tarrow, Maxwell Upson Professor of Government and Sociology, Cornell University�'Daniel Sherman has provided us with the best analysis of consequences stemming from government by delegation and devolution. �He shows how local social movements are like balloons pumped quickly to the intensity of bursting by threat and opportunity, capable of thwarting the policy goals of national, state, and regional authorities.'Theodore J. Lowi, John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions, Cornell University.