The Super conducting Super Collider (SSC) is a 53-mile in circumference, racetrack- shaped particle accelerator proposed to be built by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Because of its 4 to 6 billion dollar cost, 270 million dollar annual operating budget, and the assumption that wherever it is located will become a mecca for other high-tech industries, 25 states submitted 43 proposals to the DOE expounding the virtues of their sites. This list was trimmed to seven, including the Arizona-Maricopa Site, after review of the proposals by the National Academy of Engineers, the National Academy of Science, and DOE. Reasons for eliminating certain sites included site instability from seismic hazards and complicated geology. Confidence and safety in the construction and operation of the facility is paramount in the siting process. Included in these concerns is stability of the underlying rock or alluvium.