美国国家公共电台 NPR--Ohio derailment victims can learn from efforts to clean up a toxic mess in Michigan

Ohio derailment victims can learn from efforts to clean up a toxic¹ mess in Michigan

Transcript²

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to environmental advocate Ed Lorenz about a toxic materials cleanup in Michigan, and how residents near an Ohio train derailment can advocate for their community.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, want answers after a train derailment and a toxic spill. Residents of Gratiot County, Mich., know their experience. Almost 50 years ago, a chemical company there mixed fire retardant into cattle feed. Animals and then people got sick. The same company dumped toxic waste into the Pine River for decades. Ed Lorenz is the vice³ chair of the Pine River Superfund Task Force and joins us next. Good morning.

ED LORENZ: Good morning.

INSKEEP: Is your community still living in the aftermath?

LORENZ: Oh, yes. There's an active cleanup of contaminants at the site of the old plant, a major cleanup that's eventually costing us about a half billion dollars. And there's all sorts of spots in the river and other locations that potentially are still contaminated.

INSKEEP: I'm interested, if you're a lifelong resident of that area, if this has been something that you've dealt with basically your whole life.

LORENZ: Well, I'm not exactly, but I've been here for more than 30 years. I, by chance, when I first moved here, was exposed to the problem. It already had been almost 20 years since the accident that started our problems.

INSKEEP: Wow. Did the government help?

LORENZ: Well, you know, I think what people in East Palestine are - will be finding out - you know, there are basically three parts of this. One is the polluter, another is, you know, the government, both environmental and public health agencies and then the citizens. And in a sense, the EPA, you know, for the environment and the health agencies work for us, and they do. But the people often have a different perspective than even those agencies and then certainly the polluter.

INSKEEP: Meaning that residents on the ground may simply see the world differently than either the polluter or the federal authorities who are supposed to look after you.

LORENZ: Right. The - I mean, the government's somewhat sympathizing with their position. I mean, they're - you know, government is controlled in our system by laws and processes that have been put in place, in a general way, to deal with the general problem of, say, serious, you know, pollution of the ground in a community. But, you know, each situation is different, and people bring to exposures their own unique previous experience that can complicate⁴ a new exposure to a contaminant.

INSKEEP: I feel that you're telling me that people in East Palestine should not, cannot look for immediate⁵ closure. This could take a long time, based on your experience. So given that, what advice would you give to people in East Palestine and the surrounding area?

LORENZ: I think one thing that happened to us - and I think this could be a model for them, and I know our organization would be glad to talk to them. We're a bunch of citizen volunteers - is to organize independently. Now, there's a little gray area because this is so recent. Some of the cleanups are being handled under something called Superfund, and under the Superfund to clean up contaminated sites, there's a procedure for communities to establish advisory⁶ groups and even to get independent funding through EPA to hire their own experts to do second-guessing. And that has helped us greatly.

INSKEEP: Do your own research but in a real way. Mr. Lorenz, thanks so much.

LORENZ: Thank you very much.

INSKEEP: Ed Lorenz of the Pine River Superfund Task Force, he has written about his experience in a book called "Civic⁷ Empowerment In An Age Of Corporate⁸ Greed."

(SOUNDBITE OF PORTICO QUARTET'S "ART IN THE AGE OF AUTOMATON")

1 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

7 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。