VOA慢速英语--环保人士与工会因输油管道发生冲突

Environmental Activists¹, Unions Conflict Over Oil Pipelines³

Environmental activists and labor⁴ unions have worked together in the past, but are now on opposite sides of a heated dispute. The disagreement partly involves the building of an oil pipeline² between Canada and the United States.

The U.S. is currently the world's largest producer of oil and gas. However, the administration of President Joe Biden aims to bring the country's release of carbon gasses to net-zero by 2050.

One of Biden's first acts was to cancel the permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The administration also said it is reducing the amount of oil and gas production permitted on federal land.

The reactions to the administration's moves show the difficulties of forming policy that affects many different groups. Climate activists celebrated⁵ the cancellation⁶ of the Keytone XL pipeline. But labor unions want to keep projects from being stopped.

Mike Knisely is secretary and treasurer⁷ of the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council. He said he has been asking state officials to talk to the president about the effects of his climate policy on union members.

"I tell them they need to get back with Biden and ask if this all really has to happen on Day Two of the new administration," Knisely said. He said he is unhappy that "there's almost no common ground (on pipelines) with the environmental community."

Climate groups have had successes in recent years. They have persuaded large investors⁸ to reduce financial holdings in the fossil fuel industry. They also have sought to get banks to avoid financing oil drilling in Arctic areas of the United States.

But a number of important labor unions have members who work on pipelines, in oil refineries⁹ and in industries tied to the energy industry. That includes the International Teamsters and North America's Building Trades Unions. Those unions opposed the move to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline. They also are moving against threats to other pipelines.

Environmental groups want to block oil imports from Canada's oil sands. They also are intensifying¹⁰ efforts to close three other pipelines. Two pipelines, known as Line 3 and Line 5, are operated by the Canadian company Enbridge. The company Energy Transfer's Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL, is the other.

Unlike the Keystone XL, the three other pipelines are currently operating. The Enbridge lines bring oil and fuel from Canada. The DAPL sends oil from North Dakota to the Midwestern states and Gulf¹¹ Coast. Legal cases and government rules threaten all three pipelines.

A White House spokesman said the Biden administration is considering a recent court decision that called for an environmental study of the DAPL.

Phillip Wallace is a business representative for Pipeliners Union 798 in the state of Minnesota. Wallace said he was concerned the new administration may try to stop the DAPL. His union is planning demonstrations¹² to support its building once COVID-19 restrictions¹³ ease.

On Friday, environmental protesters stopped construction on a Line 3 work area in Minnesota. It was one of several actions this year that has resulted in arrests.

"If KXL can't pass the climate test for Biden," then Line 3 surely cannot, said Winona LaDuke. She is executive director of Honor the Earth, an indigenous¹⁴ environmental group.

Unions are also increasing support for Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline. It runs under waters where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet. Activists want to close the pipeline but Enbridge says it is trying to improve it to protect the environment.

Enbridge recently received a state permit to build a tunnel for the pipeline. The company still needs permission from the U.S. Army Corps¹⁵ of Engineers.

In November, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered the pipeline closed. However, the United Steelworkers union has been trying to build support with lawmakers to keep the line operating.

In a statement, the group told Reuters that the United Steelworkers union "strongly supports both the Line 5 replacement¹⁶" project and the continued operation of the existing pipeline. The group said hundreds of its union members and their communities need the jobs created by Line 5 to support their families.

Words in This Story

union –n. an organization of workers formed to support their interests

net-zero –n. a situation in which nothing is gained and nothing is lost

fossil fuel –n. a fuel, such as coal, oil or natural gas, that is formed from dead plants or animals

drill –v. to make a hole in the earth in an effort to find oil or water

refinery¹⁷ –n. a manufacturing center where a raw material is purified and changed

indigenous –adj. naturally coming from a place; native

tunnel –n. a passage underground

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

6 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

7 treasurer   

n.司库，财务主管

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。
• The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

8 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

9 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。

10 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

11 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。

12 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

13 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

14 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

15 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

16 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

17 refinery   

n.精炼厂，提炼厂

参考例句：

• They built a sugar refinery.他们建起了一座榨糖厂。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。