PBS高端访谈:奥巴马否决KEYSTONE输油管线

 　　GWEN IFILL: Now to the political power struggle over legislation to build the Keystone XL pipeline¹, which landed today on the president's desk and was promptly² vetoed.

　　The president chose to carry out the veto in private, out of the glare of cameras, a sharp contrast to House Speaker John Boehner's decision to stage a very public bill signing at the Capitol only 11 days ago.

　　SEN. JOHN HOEVEN: Senate Bill 1, as amended³, is passed.

　　GWEN IFILL: The Keystone bill was the first order of business after Republicans claimed majorities in both houses of Congress this year. It's been seven years since the 1,200-mile-long pipeline was first proposed. Parts of it are already under construction, with the ultimate goal of carrying Canada's tar⁴ sands oil to refineries⁵ along the Gulf⁶ Coast, a project many lawmakers say would create needed jobs.

　　But environmentalists and landowners in some of the states it would travel through argue it would cause more harm than good.

　　White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the president's veto is not about the merits of that argument, but about the review process.

　　JOSH EARNEST, White House Press Secretary: It just merely says that the benefits and consequences of building that pipeline should be thoroughly⁷ evaluated by experts and through this administrative⁸ process that has existed for decades and has been used by previous presidents of both parties.

　　GWEN IFILL: But Republican criticism was swift.

　　SEN. JOHN BARRASSO, (R) Wyoming: But the president does have his pen. And by choosing to veto this piece of legislation, he is choosing Washington lobbyists and special interests over the needs and desires of the American people.

　　GWEN IFILL: The next step for the pipeline is unclear. Republicans would have to muster⁹ a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate to override¹⁰ the veto.

　　We get reaction now from Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who writes widely on the energy sector¹¹, and Jeremy Sions — Symons — pardon me — senior director for climate policy at the Environmental Defense¹² Fund.

　　Robert Bryce, if this was a question or a debate over jobs vs. the environment, who won today?

　　ROBERT BRYCE, Manhattan Institute: You know, Gwen, I would say it's a tossup, but I would say that the pipeline, the symbolism over this pipeline has far outstripped¹³ its importance in terms of energy security, energy independence, energy imports, et cetera.

　　Remember, since 2008, we have been arguing roughly — since then, we have been arguing, we have been arguing about this pipeline, but all it's — blocking of the pipeline has really assured is that we're seeing more oil moved by rail. And just in the last two years alone, we have seen in the U.S. 10,000 miles of pipeline be built and globally 23,000 miles of pipeline.

　　So, in reality, unfortunately, this is just a pipeline, but the symbolism that has been attached to it has far outstripped reality, in my view.

　　GWEN IFILL: Jeremy Symons?

　　JEREMY SYMONS, Environmental Defense Fund: Well, the issues are real.

　　The president did the right thing today. He did the right thing because this is a wrong turn. This pipeline would be a wrong turn for America's energy policy. We're talking about chasing Canada's tar sands oil and we should be focusing instead on the real energy issues in front of the country, which is how we move forward with a clean energy future for America that creates more jobs, that pollutes less and that is abundant.

　　And I think that that's the debate that Congress is missing and should have had.

　　GWEN IFILL: But how does this veto allow that conversation to be had?

　　JEREMY SYMONS: Well, you have to ask yourself why this pipeline for one foreign energy company ended up at the top of the new Congress' agenda, when we have so many energy opportunities in front of us on clean energy.

　　And the answer is special interests. It took Americans, American families, farmers and ranchers across this country to stand up and shine light on what normally would sneak¹⁴ through in the halls of Washington. But this is a pipeline that is going to last not 10 years, not 20 years, probably 50 years or more.

　　This is a decision about our children's energy future and we have to take it very seriously and not let this decision go unnoticed.

　　GWEN IFILL: Robert Bryce, seems like one person's special interest is another person's champion. How does it break down in this case? What would be the wisest step to be taken?

　　ROBERT BRYCE: Well, I think it's clearly to build the pipeline. Canada is one of — it's our close ally, our neighbor.

　　This is one of our largest trading partners, and yet we're telling the Canadians essentially¹⁵ to — pardon my language, to stuff it. Look, the idea of trying to block the flow of Canadian oil into the U.S. by blocking this pipeline is akin¹⁶ to trying to make your diet work by shooting the pizza delivery man.

　　It's not going to work. The reality is blocking the pipeline has resulted in what? Moving more oil by rail. Western Alberta now has over — about 1.1 million barrels of rail terminal capacity in place. In North Dakota — remember, the pipeline is also going to serve the Bakken — they have built about 1.2 million barrels per day of rail terminal capacity.

　　Keystone is designed to carry 830,000 per day. The idea that blocking this pipeline is going to prevent oil from getting to market is simply false.

　　GWEN IFILL: Let me ask you about that, Jeremy Symons. You just said there should be a different debate going on. But if it's true that the oil is going to get here perhaps in a less safe way, are you moving toward that debate or away from it?

　　JEREMY SYMONS: No, it's not about whether there's going to be a less safe way. It's about making choices about what kind of energy future we want to build and infrastructure¹⁷ we want to build.

　　The reality is that we're seeing already, because of market forces, we have an oil boom, natural gas boom here in America that is contributing to reduced oil prices around the country, around the country. And that is what is standing¹⁸ in the way now of the Canadian — very expensive Canadian tar sands oil.

　　But it's also a very dirty oil source. So, we have to ask ourselves, this isn't about Canada-U.S. relationships. This is about choosing the path and making sure that Congress and the president are focused on the real opportunities and policy to move beyond the old energy sources and particularly a dirtier source that has 17 percent more greenhouse gas emissions¹⁹ than American conventional oil.

　　GWEN IFILL: You just mentioned oil prices. Explain to me what the connection between oil prices being depressed²⁰ and the outcome of this decision today.

　　JEREMY SYMONS: Well, actually creating this oil from Canadian tar sands is a very energy-intensive, high-polluting process that is also very expensive. And basically they're taking tons of sand and trying to squeeze out a barrel of oil in doing that.

　　And because it's so expensive, they rely on high energy prices globally to do the big mining investments that they have to, to expand this vast area in the boreal forests of Canada and turn that into mining pits to make this. When you have lower oil prices it is going to put a natural blocker on even the need to have some of this oil come to America.

　　GWEN IFILL: Robert Bryce, do you draw that same line between decline in oil prices and this outcome today?

　　ROBERT BRYCE: Well, look, I think your other guest makes a good point.

　　The decline in oil prices does produce or create some economic challenges for this pipeline, no question about it. It's much more viable²¹, much more profitable for the producers when oil is at $80, than it is when oil is at $50, success as it is now.

　　But, look, this pipeline is clearly in the national interest. And in his veto statement, the president referred to the national interest a couple of times. Just yesterday, IHS, the consulting firm, said that roughly 70 percent of the oil that would be shipped through Keystone XL would be consumed here in the United States.

　　I'm for cheap, abundant, reliable energy and I make no apologies for that. This is a good idea for American consumers. To say that we need something else, look, virtually every automobile²³ in the country runs on oil and refined product. To say we are going to shift to something else, well, we may in decades, but this pipeline should be built and it should be built now.

　　GWEN IFILL: But you started this conversation saying that this is the wrong argument to be having. What difference — how, then, if they were to agree to this pipeline and the president were suddenly to revisit it in the next several weeks, how would that contribute to America's energy independence?

　　ROBERT BRYCE: Well, look, it would provide more oil to the U.S. market.

　　We are producing dramatically more oil here in the U.S. We have seen increases of roughly four million barrels of oil per day here in the United States alone. But oil — or gasoline is now at roughly $2. What's wrong with having more oil and reducing the price of oil even further? I see no problem with that.

　　I think it's a spurious argument to say, oh, we're supposed to shift to something else and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. has reduced its CO2 emissions more than any other country in the world over the last few years, by over 400 million tons. No other country is even close.

　　GWEN IFILL: Well, go ahead.

　　JEREMY SYMONS: Well, we agree that the U.S. is reducing our emissions.

　　In fact, a lot of that is built on the backs of auto²² workers who have reinvented and auto companies that have reinvented the auto industry to make fuel-efficient cars that pollute less. Why would we move, why would government take on its top priority to bring dirtier fuel to market to put in the tanks of the cleaner cars that we're trying to make?

　　GWEN IFILL: For today, that's not going to happen. Does that mean that you are optimistic about the president's ultimate decision?

　　JEREMY SYMONS: I am optimistic. I think he will do the right thing there too. And the case is clear that this is bad for climate, it is bad for our economy, and it is bad for our energy future.

　　GWEN IFILL: Final word, Robert Bryce.

　　ROBERT BRYCE: I disagree.

　　We can talk about climate all day long. If you look at a 2012 study done by Andrew Weaver²⁴ at the University of Victoria, he was a lead IPCC author. He said — he and a colleague looked at this and said that even if all of the 170 billion barrels of oil in the oil sands of Canada were burned, his quote was the impact in terms of climate change would "be almost undetectable at our significance level."

　　This climate change argument is a spurious one. Look, again, I will go back to what I said initially²⁵. This is about symbolism for the left and for the Democrats²⁶. And it's unfortunately become a big fight between the Republicans and the Democrats, when I think this is clearly an infrastructure project that would benefit the U.S. national interest.

　　GWEN IFILL: It sounds like you both agree on the idea that this is about something bigger, but not on what bigger.

　　Robert Bryce of the Manhattan Institute and Jeremy Symons of the Environmental Defense Fund, thank you both very much.

　　JEREMY SYMONS: Thank you.

　　ROBERT BRYCE: Thank you kindly²⁷.

1 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

2 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

3 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

4 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

5 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

8 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

9 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

10 override   

vt.不顾，不理睬，否决；压倒，优先于

参考例句：

• The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.孩子的幸福安康应该永远比父母的愿望来得更重要。
• I'm applying in advance for the authority to override him.我提前申请当局对他进行否决。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

13 outstripped   

v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• That manufacturer outstripped all his competitors in sales last year. 那个制造商家去年的销售量超过了所有竞争对手。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The imagination of her mother and herself had outstripped the truth. 母亲和她自己的想象力远远超过了事实。 来自辞典例句

14 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

15 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

16 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

17 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

18 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

19 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。

20 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

21 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

22 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

23 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

24 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

25 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

26 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。