美国国家公共电台 NPR--Governor's office in Pennsylvania makes a criminal referral in Ohio train derailment

Governor's office in Pennsylvania makes a criminal referral in Ohio train derailment

Transcript¹

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the state's acting² attorney general is investigating whether criminal charges were warranted in the derailment of a Norfolk Southern Railroad train just over the state line in East Palestine, Ohio.

Shapiro blasted Norfolk Southern's "arrogance³ and incompetence⁴" in an interview with Morning Edition's Leila Fadel on Wednesday, saying the railroad didn't participate in unified⁵ efforts with emergency services from Pennsylvania and Ohio after the derailment.

"We made a criminal referral to the office of attorney general. They'll determine whether or not there was criminal activity," Shapiro said. "What I know is that Norfolk Southern is governed every day, not by caring about the communities that they send their trains through, but by corporate⁶ greed."

Asked by NPR about the nature of possible charges, acting Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said her office "will act quickly to investigate this incident, gather the facts, and then evaluate the evidence to make a determination under Pennsylvania law."

On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it would take control of the cleanup of the derailment that released hazardous⁷ chemicals into the environment.

In statement to NPR on Tuesday, Norfolk Southern said it has already been paying for the cleanup and will continue to do so.

"We recognize that we have a responsibility, and we have committed to doing what's right for the residents of East Palestine," the railroad said. "We are committed to thoroughly⁸ and safely cleaning the site, and we are reimbursing⁹ residents for the disruption this has caused in their lives."

Shapiro said tests of municipal water supplies and wells haven't shown any "concerning readings" of toxins¹⁰ and will continue to test "for months and months and months, if not years" to ensure that water is safe for residents.

About three dozen Norfolk Southern freight cars derailed near East Palestine, a town of roughly 4,800. Investigators¹¹ from the National Transportation Safety Board have indicated that the derailment was likely caused by a wheel bearing failure; a preliminary report is expected next week.

In an interview with PBS NewsHour on Tuesday, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he didn't want to speculate on a cause of the derailment but that the railroad is committed to ensuring the safety of the community.

"Yes, we're going to see this thing through. That's my commitment to the community of East Palestine," he said.

"We're going to invest in the environmental cleanup. We have made a lot of progress. We have got air monitoring, water monitoring. We're coordinating¹² with the Ohio EPA. And we're going to invest in this community for the long haul and help this community recover and help this community thrive."

But Shapiro told NPR on Wednesday that "I don't believe for a second Norfolk Southern would do this on their own," if it weren't forced by the federal government.

The railroad has "given the middle finger to the good people of Pennsylvania and Ohio by failing to show up at community meetings, by really insulting the community with a lackluster investment in their recovery."

"And I'm frankly¹³ sick and tired of the way their CEO has acted like a king, as opposed to someone who's contrite¹⁴ and willing to work with the community to get it back up on its feet," the governor said.

"This is the same company that has sadly and successfully lobbied Congress over multiple years to do away with safety measures that would cost them a few bucks¹⁵ but might keep the community safer."

"They line themselves up with lawyers and lobbyists to escape scrutiny¹⁶ and I'm sick and tired of it."

Shapiro said Congress needs to act to make railroads safer.

"They need to put real teeth into some of these laws involving the safety of our railways. They need to force Norfolk Southern and the other railroad companies to invest real money in their braking systems and the security and safety of their trains."

He advocated: "Lowering the bar, if you will, what is a high-hazards train, which would then require those rail companies to notify states like mine when they pass through so our emergency personnel can be on alert and be prepared in the event that there is a disaster."

Shapiro, a Democrat¹⁷, said he and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, have discussed appearing before Congress to inform them of the steps they need to take to make railroads safer.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

4 incompetence   

n.不胜任，不称职

参考例句：

• He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
• She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得，本是老板无能，但她却成了替罪羊。

5 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 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。

8 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。

9 reimbursing   

v.偿还，付还( reimburse的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• All banking charges outside Korea and reimbursing are for account of beneficiary. 所有韩国以外的用度及偿付行用度由受益人承担。 来自互联网
• A reimbursing bank's charges are for the account of the issuing bank. 然而，如果费用系由受益人承担，则开证行有责任在信用证和偿付授权书中予以注明。 来自互联网

10 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》

11 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

13 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

14 contrite   

adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的

参考例句：

• She was contrite the morning after her angry outburst.她发了一顿脾气之后一早上追悔莫及。
• She assumed a contrite expression.她装出一副后悔的表情。

15 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 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。

17 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。