2006年NPR美国国家公共电台六月-Clean Trucks, Clean Emissions

Diesel¹ fuel in the US and the fumes² from diesel engines are about to get a whole lot cleaner. As of today, the Environmental Protection Agency is requiring much of the diesel in the country to have 97% less sulfur³ in it. It's the start of a project that will change not only diesel fuel, but the trucks, cars and eventually ships and trains that burn it. NPR's Jeff Brady has the story.

The EPA is requiring 2 things the companies that make diesel fuel will have to reduce the amount of sulfur in that fuel to almost nothing and the manufactures that make diesel engines will have to install new pollution control devices. Margo Oge with the EPA says once the project is fully⁴ implemented⁵ in 3 years everyone will breathe easier.

"If you have ever driven behind a large truck or a bus, you are very familiar with the smell and smoke and the clouds that come out from those, you know, trucks and buses. This is going to be a thing of the past."

Oge says this is one of the most significant programs the EPA has undertaken. She says it's on par⁶ with the agency's program to eliminate lead from gasoline in the 1970s. That allowed carmakers to install catalytic converters which have dramatically reduced vehicle pollution. In diesel engines, Oge says sulfur is just like lead.

"Sulfur in diesel fuel poisons catalytic converters."

With less sulfur in diesel engine, manufactures would be able to put catalytic converters on those engines too. The EPA estimates the reduced pollution will prevent more than 8000 premature⁷ death each year and reduce the incidents of breathing problems for asthma⁸ suffers.

The European Union has been using low sulfur diesel for years. But within just a few months the US will have lower sulfur standards than what the EU requires. C.D. is with the National Petrol Chemical and Refiner's Association. He says it is not easy to meet the new EPA standards and he says it's costing the industry about 9 billion dollars.

" Not to get too technical, when you get down to those ultra,ultra low levels of sulfur in the fuel. There are only a few molecules⁹ of sulfur left and the easy ones to take out are already gone and those three are left in there. They just don't want to come out of the crude.”

The industry sued the EPA a few years back to block these standards they wanted the level set a bit higher, but they lost in court. Refiners aren't the only ones that have to change the way they do business. Starting in 2007 truck manufactures will have to put catalytic converters on their engines.

Most truck drivers at a fueling stop near Denver said they didn't even know the rules were on the way. Scotten Colon¹⁰ from Las Vegas says he learnt about the rules from a sticker on a fuel pump, but he doesn't think it is fair that truckers are forced to comply with new regulations while competitors are not.

"Well, I look at the ocean liners sitting out at the dock, sitting there idling away with them engines. Oh, that doesn't matter. On the locomotives, you and I see everyday, you know, pumping diesel out of them. They haven't upgraded them yet, have they?”

That is true but the EPA says their time is coming. New emission¹¹ rules for diesel burning ships and trains are expected within the year. Still truck drivers worry the new rules will push up diesel prices and that is a possibility. Companies that manage large fleets of trucks say they are also worried the supply of diesel might be interrupted as the new fuel is phased in over the coming month.

Jeff Brady, NPR News, Denver.

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diesel:a type of heavy oil used instead of petrol in engines, especially in trucks, buses, and trains;柴油
sulfur:a common light yellow chemical substance that burns with a very strong unpleasant smell, and is used in drugs, explosives, and industry;硫磺
be on par with:to be at the same level or standard; 等同于,相同于...水平或标准
catalytic converter:a piece of equipment fitted to a car's exhaust system that reduces the amount of poisonous gases the engine sends out; 触媒转化器
asthma:a medical condition that causes difficulties in breathing;哮喘
ultra:extremely;过激的, 极端的
fuel pump:燃油泵
ocean liner:a large ship for passengers; 远洋定期客轮
sit out:to stay where you are and do nothing until something finishes, especially something boring or unpleasant ;袖手旁观, 比...坐得久, 坐到结束, 坐在户外
idle away:to spend time in a relaxed way, doing nothing; 荒废, 浪费
locomotive:a railway engine;火车头,机车
push up:increase;增加, 提高
phase:to make something happen gradually in a planned way;逐渐稳定(发生)

1 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

2 fumes   

n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体

参考例句：

• The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
• Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

3 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

7 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

8 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

9 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

10 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。

11 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。