Controlling the Atom: The Beginnings of Nuclear Regulation, 1946-1962
Berkeley, CA: University of CA Press, 1984. First Edition. First Printing. Hardcover. 530 pages. Illus., glossary, chronology, notes, select bibliographic essay, index. Inscribed and signed by both co-authors. (The name of the person to whom the book was inscribed has been blacked out. ) The authors focus on the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, the agency that exercised primary responsibility for safeguarding public health and safety from the hazards of the peaceful application of nuclear energy. A persistent theme of the book is the AEC's effort to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety without imposing restrictive or inflexible regulations that would impede the growth of the nuclear industry. The basic purpose of this book is to provide the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which inherited responsibility for nuclear safety after Congress disbanded the AEC, and the general public with information on the historical antecedents and background of regulatory issues. More