密歇根新闻广播 比尔舒特对火灾下污染的记录

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican candidate for governor, frequently touts¹ his conservative credentials² by mentioning his opposition³ to environmental protections rolled out under President Barack Obama.

Schuette's campaign website says he "successfully opposed President Obama's job-killing energy regulations that would have hurt Michigan's economy and increased utility bills for hard-working families."

The statement references Schuette's involvement in a pair of lawsuits⁴ against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations largely affecting coal-fired power plants. One lawsuit⁵ challenged the agency's authority to curb⁶ emissions⁷ of mercury and other air toxics⁸. The other concerned EPA's authority to slash¹⁰ greenhouse gas emissions.

Now, those same lawsuits are under scrutiny¹¹ from a liberal advocacy group, Progress Michigan, which claims the suits show Schuette protects polluters.

Like much of politics, the claim focuses on one aspect of an issue (pollution) rather than another (protecting jobs). Nonetheless, the assertion is accurate, and Schuette's campaign didn't directly rebut¹² Progress Michigan's assertions to Truth Squad¹³.

The Facts

First thing's first: Can coal plant emissions trigger asthma¹⁴? Yes, and worse.

Progress Michigan backs up its assertion by pointing to a 2011 report from the American Lung Association. That's a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy group that seeks to prevent lung disease and relies on dozens of health and medical advisers¹⁵.

The 2011 report details a litany of hazardous¹⁶ pollutants¹⁷ from coal-fired power plants. Those include acid gases, benzene, dioxins, formaldehyde, lead, arsenic¹⁸ and mercury.

"Researchers have found these toxic⁹ emissions cause a dangerous array of harm to human health," the report states. "These emissions can make breathing difficult and can worsen asthma, chronic¹⁹ obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and other lung diseases. These pollutants can cause heart attacks and strokes, lung cancer and other cancers, birth defects and premature²⁰ death."

Peer-reviewed studies have suggested that living near coal plants increases the risk of hospitalization for asthma or other lung diseases. That includes a 2012 study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

In 2011, the EPA issued new limits on coal plant pollutants, including mercury, arsenic and other toxins²¹, saying the effort would limit such health effects.

In 2014, after a federal court upheld the standards, Schuette petitioned the U.S. Supreme²² Court on behalf of Michigan and 20 other states, seeking to block the rule nationwide.

Schuette claimed the costs for implementing²³ the rule "would be borne by consumers of electricity" and would outweigh²⁴ the health benefits.

A year later, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling on Schuette's suit that ordered EPA to reconsider the rule because it had failed properly to weigh the costs of the measure versus²⁵ its benefits.

That's the decision Schuette touts in his appeals to Republican voters.

But in 2016, the high court again weighed in, declining to intervene in a lower court ruling in the case that upheld EPA standards. That was seen as a loss for Schuette. By that time, Michigan's utilities were already shutting down coal plants and turning to cleaner sources of energy.

Schuette also joined other states in fighting Obama's "Clean Power Plan" — regulations to speed states' shift from coal-fired power in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas-emissions linked to climate change.

The U.S. Supreme Court stayed those rules in 2016, and President Donald Trump's administration has since scrapped²⁶ the effort.

(But again, coal plants in Michigan and elsewhere are shuttering anyway.)

This one's straightforward²⁷.

Schuette was involved in two lawsuits — one of which he spearheaded — in which he supported the position of coal-fired power plants, whose emissions, studies say, can cause asthma and other health effects.

Schuette frequently highlights the suits, saying they saved jobs and pushed back against overzealous regulation. He, of course, doesn't mention pollution.

Asked by Truth Squad about Progress Michigan's ad, Schuette campaign spokesman John Sellek noted²⁸ Schuette's temporary court victory in the mercury regulations case and issued this statement that does not mention coal or pollution.

"Attorney General Schuette is a strong advocate for not only protecting our Constitution and laws but also to protect Michigan families, including his work to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species, protecting children by enforcing child support collection, support the victims of human trafficking, his insistence²⁹ that the survivors³⁰ in the Nassar case to each be allowed to speak at trial and have their voices heard around the world, and his fight for justice for the victims of the Flint Water Crisis. Bill believes that in the 21st century we certainly should be sophisticated enough to follow the law and find solutions to issues that satisfy several goals, Schuette is an advocate for the people, their jobs, their safety and their environment."

1 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网

2 credentials   

n.证明，资格，证明书，证件

参考例句：

• He has long credentials of diplomatic service.他的外交工作资历很深。
• Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials.此项工作的两个求职者都非常符合资格。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

5 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

6 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

7 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

8 toxics   

n.毒物（toxic的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Corrosives are generally toxic, so follow the precautions cited in the following section on toxics. 腐蚀剂一般来说是有毒的，所以请遵守下文关于毒品的防范措施。 来自互联网
• Objective To evaluate the diagnostic methods and treatment of gastric ulcer perforating with toxics tubular necrosis. 目的探讨胃溃疡穿孔合并中毒性肾小管坏死的诊断方法与治疗方案。 来自互联网

9 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。

10 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

11 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

12 rebut   

v.辩驳，驳回

参考例句：

• He attempted to rebut the assertions made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳控方证人所作的断言。
• This open letter is to rebut the argument of abstractionism.这封公开信是反驳抽象派论点的。

13 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

14 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。

15 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

16 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

17 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

18 arsenic   

n.砒霜，砷；adj.砷的

参考例句：

• His wife poisoned him with arsenic.他的妻子用砒霜把他毒死了。
• Arsenic is a poison.砒霜是毒药。

19 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

20 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。

21 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

23 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

24 outweigh   

vt.比...更重，...更重要

参考例句：

• The merits of your plan outweigh the defects.你制定的计划其优点胜过缺点。
• One's merits outweigh one's short-comings.功大于过。

25 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

26 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

27 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

28 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

29 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

30 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者