The bureaucracy in the United States has a hand in almost all aspects of our lives, from the water we drink to the parts in our cars. For a force so influential and pervasive, however, this body of all nonelective government officials remains an enigmatic, impersonal entity.

The literature of bureaucratic theory is rife with contradictions and mysteries. Bureaucrats, Politics, and the Environment attempts to clarify some of these problems.

The authors surveyed the workers at two agencies: enforcement personnel from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and employees of the New Mexico Environment Department. By examining what they think about politics, the environment, their budgets, and the other institutions and agencies with which they interact, this work puts a face on the bureaucracy and provides an explanation for its actions.

Richard W. Waterman, professor and chair of political science at the University of Kentucky, is the co-author of Bureaucratic Dynamics.

Amelia A. Rouse is the deputy director of the Institute for Public Policy at the University of New Mexico.

Robert L. Wright, director of social sciences at the College of Santa Fe, is co-author of The Image Is Everything Presidency.