VOA标准英语2011--Yellowstone River Spill Raises Pipeline

Yellowstone River Spill Raises Pipeline¹ Safety Concerns

Environmentalists are pushing for tighter regulations after the rupture² of an Exxon Mobil oil pipeline which runs beneath the Yellowstone River in Montana. Before it was shut off, the burst pipe spilled as much as 1,000 barrels of crude oil - more than 160,000 liters- into the river, just downstream from famed Yellowstone National Park.
High-water conditions on the Yellowstone River make damage assessments⁴ risky⁵, says Exxon Mobil spokewoman Claire Hassett. "What we have learned so far has been hindered by the rapid flow of the river right now. It's at historic water levels. It's very turbulent."
The river is at flood stage, overflowing⁶ riverbanks and moving fast, carrying oil as much as 24 kilometers downstream into marshes⁷, fields and yards.
According to Hassett, local officials were so concerned about the heavy rains and rising waters, that they ordered a temporary shutdown to inspect the 20-year old pipe in May. The pipe is buried just below the Yellowstone riverbed.
"And we did that," she says. "We conducted the same assessment³ that we conduct on all pipelines⁸ within our operation and we determined⁹ that it was safe to operate and again we don't know what caused this leak so it would be premature¹⁰ to say the two are related."
The accident comes at a time of rising concern over oil and gas-pipeline safety across the United States.
According to a World Wildlife Federation¹¹ report, pipeline accidents accounted for over 2,500 significant incidents, 161 fatalities¹² and 576 injuries in the United States from 2000-2009.
The Natural Resources Defense¹³ Council has joined WWF and other environmental groups to call for tougher industry regulations.
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, who directs NRDC's International Program, says the Yellowstone rupture underscores the dangers posed by the network of pipelines criss-crossing the nation's waterways.
Upstream of the oil spill, which is moving away from Yellowstone National Park. (NRDC)
"Especially when they are running under some of our most precious river systems that are important not just for wildlife, but also for our communities," says Casey-Lefkowitz. "The Yellowstone River is critical for irrigation, for example, and so it serves the needs of a lot of farmers and communities along its path."
Andy Black is president and chief executive officer of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, an industry group whose members include pipeline owners and operators.
"We don't want any pipeline accident to happen and every accident is a bad thing," he says. "We have processes both within companies and at the associations to share learning and best practices and pursue the goal which is zero accidents."
Black adds that the already industry operates under strict federal and state government regulations. "I don't see a need to overhaul¹⁴ the regulations. The regulations cover the major causes of pipeline failures, and we do not see any gaps."
Casey-Lefkowitz with the Natural Resources Defense Council wants those regulations overhauled¹⁵.
"Whereas the oil industry may find it business as usual to have a certain number of spills, it is really not acceptable, especially in this day and age," she says. "It shouldn't be best practices to have spills in the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, in the Yellowstone River in Montana and potentially in the future in the Ogallala aquifer¹⁶ which would be crossed by this new proposed Keystone XL pipeline."
The Ogallala aquifer is a major source of drinking and irrigation water for America's central plains. Casey-Lefkowitz says the proposed Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline would carry heavier and more corrosive¹⁷ tarsand crude more than 3,200 kilometers from Canada across the central U.S. - and over the Ogalalla - to refineries¹⁸ in Texas.
"Ironically it would actually cross the Yellowstone River where the spill just happened," says Casey-Lefkowitz.
Exxon Mobil's Hassett says the oil company takes full responsibility for the Yellowstone accident. "We have committed to be there as long as it takes to get it cleaned up."
NRDC's Casey-Lefkowitz says that's not enough. She views the incident along America's longest undammed river as a wake-up call for communities across the United States to demand stricter government controls to protect the nation's natural treasures.

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 rupture   

n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂

参考例句：

• I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。
• The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

5 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

6 overflowing   

n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
• The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。

7 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 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。

11 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

12 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

15 overhauled   

v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越

参考例句：

• Within a year the party had drastically overhauled its structure. 一年内这个政党已大刀阔斧地整顿了结构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A mechanic overhauled the car's motor with some new parts. 一个修理工对那辆汽车的发动机进行了彻底的检修，换了一些新部件。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 aquifer   

n.含水土层

参考例句：

• An aquifer is a water-bearing rock stratum such as sandstone and chalk.地下蓄水层是一些有水的岩石层，如沙岩和白垩岩。
• The wine region's first water came from an ancient aquifer.用来灌溉这个地区葡萄园的第一批水来自古老的地下蓄水层。

17 corrosive   

adj.腐蚀性的；有害的；恶毒的

参考例句：

• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry.核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。
• Many highly corrosive substances are used in the nuclear industry.核工业使用许多腐蚀性很强的物质。

18 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。