VOA标准英语2014--奥巴马拟推更强法规限制电厂污染

 

Obama Administration Proposes Plan to Cut Power Plant Pollution 奥巴马拟推更强法规限制电厂污染

The Obama administration is proposing stronger regulations to limit climate-changing emissions¹ from U.S. power plants. 

The proposed pollution rules are designed to help protect the nation’s health and will put, but also put the United States in a stronger leadership position to curb² global warming.

In his most recent address to the nation, President Barack Obama called the new rule critical. 

“Today about 40 percent of America’s carbon pollution comes from power plants," he said. "But right now there are no national limits to the amount of carbon pollution that existing plants can pump into the air we breathe.”

The new Clean Power Plan targets the nation’s more than 600 coal-fired power plants, the single largest source of carbon pollution in the United States. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator³ Gina McCarthy said it is a moral obligation to act for the sake of public health. "When we do, we will turn climate risk into business opportunity, we will spur innovation and investment and we will be a world-leading clean energy economy.”

The plan would require a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. McCarthy says a flexible approach is built into how states comply. 

“Each state is different, so each goal and each path can be different," she said.

The proposal offers a broad array of actions, says Kevin Kennedy, who directs the U.S. Climate Initiative for the World Resources Institute.    

“The ability that she is talking about is the flexibility⁴ to look at the entire electricity system," Kennedy said. "So, that you can look at energy efficiency. You can look at renewables. You can look at switching fuels from coal to natural gas, making more use of existing natural gas plants that have been sitting relatively⁵ idle for the last decade.”

Coal plants supply nearly one-third the U.S. electric supply. The new rule could shut down plants, eliminate jobs and raise electric rates, says Jeff Holmstead, a former EPA official who represents the coal industry for the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani. He says higher electric rates could also push industrial operations abroad.  

“To some extent we are seeing that happen already in Europe, where Europe has had almost no investment from heavy industry and heavy industries that formerly⁶ were in Europe are moving to China or India and in some cases even the United States because power prices here  today are significantly lower than they are in Europe,” Holmstead said.

He says the administration is wrong to put a regulation in place that critics say does little to solve the climate problem. He suggests investment in a technological⁷ fix would go further to address the issue.

“Until we can figure out a way that allows countries around the world to have the benefits we enjoy from reliable affordable⁸ power, without coal, it is not going to make any difference at all to impose expensive requirements in the United States,” Holmstead said.

Kennedy agrees that rules alone are not enough, but says the plan is an important signal to the global community that the United States is taking a leadership role in the battle against climate change. 

“That makes it much more likely that you will be able to get a strong international agreement next year, where you would expect to see China and India and other countries coming to the table more willing to think about reductions on their own, now that the United States is seriously acting," Kennedy said. 

After a year-long comment period, the EPA rules will be finalized⁹. A legal challenge from the coal power industry is expected to follow.

1 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。

2 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。

3 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

4 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

7 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

8 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

9 finalized   

vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》