美国硅砂矿引发社区担忧

AS IT IS 2015-07-14 Silica Sand Mining Worries Communities 美国硅砂矿引发社区担忧

The United States is increasing production of oil and natural gas through a process known as “fracking.” This process is sometimes called “hydraulic fracking” because it uses pressurized water. Fracking requires the use of “silica sand.” Demand for the sand could rise as much as 200 percent over the next five years. But along with rising demand come concerns about silica sand mining operations. People who live near the mines are worried about how the sand will affect their businesses and their health.

There has been an increase in the mining of silica sand in the American state of Illinois. And people who live near the mines are worried.

Hickory Hollow¹ Campground is a popular place to stay for some of the several million people who visit the Illinois River Valley every year. The campground, in the village of Utica, is a short drive from a state park.

“It’s a family campground where we have RVs (recreational vehicles), tent camping…”

That is Sandy Esmond. She is the owner of the campground. She says the camp now has a new neighbor -- a mining operation that is extracting³ white silica sand from the ground.

Before the sand is shipped, it sits in large piles near the campground. But Sandy Esmond says it does not stay there.

“Well, I have to take a leaf blower at least once a day and blow the sand off of everything.”

She says the sand does more than interfere⁴ with day-to-day activities. It is also causing health problems.

“Well, a lot of people come out here (and), I imagine, (have) asthma⁵, health issues, breathing problems.”

Robert Cohen is a Clinical Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at the Chicago School of Public Health. He says silica can be dangerous.

“Well, silica is a pretty toxic⁶ substance, especially freshly-fractured⁷ silica. It can cause a number of bad health effects in the body. So it causes cancer, respiratory cancers. And so that is another important concern with silica exposures⁹.”

Dr. Cohen has examined people who worked in silica sand mining operations. But he says little is known about the effect of sand particles¹⁰ in the air on human health.

“If the mine is a surface mine, and there is ambient wind that is carrying this freshly-fractured dust and your house is covered with dust and you run your finger along the surfaces and you find it, then there is some exposure⁸ there and there probably should be some concern.”

The mining operation has taken measures to try to keep the sand from blowing into the Hickory Hollow Campground. But Sandy Esmond says the mine has not done enough.

“I’ve expressed all my concerns to them. You know, ‘Oh, we understand, we understand.’ But do they really?”

Ms. Esmond worries that the sight of sand on the campground will force her to sell her business.

“I hate to do that. We have a lot of good customers that come.  Where are all these people going to go that love to camp?”

Earlier this year, the Illinois legislature approved a bill to study the effect of silica sand mining on homes and businesses. Governor¹¹ Bruce Rauner has yet to sign the bill.

In an email to VOA this week, the governor’s press secretary said only that Mr. Rauner “will carefully consider any legislation¹² that crosses his desk.” Even if the governor does sign the bill, the study would not be completed until January 2017.

Our office has attempted to speak with silica companies, but we have so far not been able to do so.

Words in This Story

fracking – n. (sometimes called “hydraulic fracking”); a technique in which rock is fractured, or broken, by a highly-pressurized liquid (usually water mixed with sand and other materials)

silica sand – n. one of the most common kinds of sand found in the world; it is used in industrial processing;

extract² – v. to remove (something) by pulling it out or cutting it out

pile – n. a group of things that are put one on top of another

asthma – n. a physical condition that makes breathing difficult

pretty – adj. to a great degree or extent¹³; very

toxic – adj. containing harmful or poisonous substances

respiratory – adj. of or relating to breathing

exposure(s) – n. the fact or condition of being affected¹⁴ by something or experiencing something; the condition of being exposed to something

ambient – adj. surrounding on all sides

1 hollow   

adj.空的，中空的，空心的；空洞的，无价值的

参考例句：

• The boys scraped out a hollow place for planting trees.那些孩子挖了个坑准备栽树。
• Bamboo is a sort of hollow plant.竹子是一种中空的植物。

2 extract   

vt.取出，提取，获得，摘录；n.摘录，提出物

参考例句：

• The article was a choice extract from her writings.这篇文章是从她的著作中摘录出来的精粹。
• We can extract oil from olive.我们可以从橄榄中榨油。

3 extracting   

n. 萃取, 提取, 提炼 动词extract的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• We must find economical methods for extracting oil from shale. 我们必须找到从页岩中采油的经济方法。
• She was extracting a crisp roll from her purse. 她正从钱袋里掏出一卷钞票。

4 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

5 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

6 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

7 fractured   

adj. 断裂的 动词fracture的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He died in the car collision with his skull fractured. 他在那次撞车事件中因头骨碎裂而死去。
• He fell from a tree and his leg fractured in three places. 他从树上掉下来，腿三处骨折。

8 exposure   

n.暴露，面临；揭露，揭发；曝光

参考例句：

• After only a short exposure to sunlight he began to turn red.他在阳光下只晒了一会儿，皮肤就开始变红了。
• I threatened them with public exposure.我扬言要公开揭发他们。

9 exposures   

n.暴露( exposure的名词复数 )；揭发；公开；（商品等的）展出

参考例句：

• How many exposures have you made? 你拍过几张底片了？ 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Full use should be made of any exposures available on site. 应该充分利用现场可以利用的任何一个露头。 来自辞典例句

10 particles   

微粒( particle的名词复数 )； 颗粒； 极少量； 小品词

参考例句：

• These small particles agglomerate together to form larger clusters. 这些颗粒聚结形成较大的团。
• The nucleus of an atom consists of neutrons, protons and other particles. 原子核由中子、质子和其他粒子构成。

11 governor   

n.统治者，地方长官(如省长，州长，总督等)

参考例句：

• The governor was an expert at fencing with reporters.这位州长是搪塞新闻记者的能手。
• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。

12 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。

13 extent   

n.程度，范围，限度；广度，宽度，大小

参考例句：

• The new race track is nearly six miles in extent. 这条新跑道将近六英里长。
• What's the extent of the damage? 损坏的程度如何?

14 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。