VOA慢速英语2019 美国一些城市采取行动限制天然气的使用（在线收听）

Some US Cities Move to Limit Natural Gas Use

Cities in the American states of California, Washington and Massachusetts are considering bans or limits on the use of natural gas in homes and buildings.

美国加州、华盛顿州和马萨诸塞州的城市正考虑禁止在住宅和建筑物中使用天然气。

The bans, if approved, could affect heating systems in large buildings and even cooking stoves in homes.

如果该禁令获得批准，可能会影响到大型建筑物的供暖系统，甚至是家中的炉灶。

In July, Berkeley, California, became the first U.S. city to pass a law banning gas systems in new buildings.

今年7月，加州伯克利市成为美国第一个立法禁止新建筑物安装天然气系统的城市。

Reuters news agency spoke with local officials, activists and industry groups about the issue. They told Reuters other cities may soon do the same. Los Angeles and Seattle are among the cities considering laws that could cut natural gas use.

路透社就此问题采访了当地官员、活动家以及业内组织。他们对路透社表示，其它城市可能很快就会效仿。洛杉矶和西雅图等城市都在考虑立法减少天然气的使用。

Local officials and environmentalists point to evidence that gas leaking from pipes and other places hurts the climate more than carbon dioxide.

当地官员和环保人士指出，从管道和其它地方泄露的气体对气候的伤害比二氧化碳还大。

Carbon dioxide gas is released when carbon-based fuels are burned. Carbon dioxide is considered a heat-trapping gas that causes the Earth’s atmosphere to warm.

当碳基燃料燃烧时就会释放出二氧化碳。二氧化碳被认为是一种导致地球大气变暖的吸热气体。

A “bridge fuel” to cleaner energy

清洁能源的过渡性燃料

Until recently, many environmentalists considered natural gas to be a “bridge fuel” to a future of renewable energy.

一直到现在，很多环保主义者都认为天然气是未来可再生能源的过渡性燃料。

U.S. utilities currently get about 35 percent of their electricity from natural gas. However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes that utilities have increased their use of renewable fuels in the past 10 years, from 9 to 17 percent of all power.

美国电力系统目前大约35%的电力来自于天然气。然而，美国能源信息管理局指出，美国电力系统过去10年提高了可再生燃料的利用，它在所有电力中的比例从9%提升到了17%。

The Environmental Protection Agency says buildings and homes produce about 12 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases are heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.

美国环境保护局表示，建筑物和住宅产生了美国大约12%的温室气体排放。温室气体是指大气中的吸热气体。

If natural gas bans in buildings become widespread, they could hurt the business plans of some of the world's biggest energy companies.

如果建筑物天然气禁令推广开来，它们可能会伤害一些全球大型能源公司的商业计划。

Companies like Exxon Mobil, Shell and BP are investing billions of dollars to produce and ship more natural gas. Big gas producers argue that gas improves the environment by replacing fuels, such as coal, that pollute more.

埃克森美孚、壳牌和英国石油等公司正投资数十亿美元生产和运输更多天然气。大型天然气生产商认为，天然气通过替代煤炭等污染更大的燃料来改善环境。

Natural gas companies oppose bans. They have started an advertising campaign and supported research that says gas is a better cooking fuel and a low-cost energy option.

天然气公司反对禁令。他们已经开展了一项广告宣传活动，并支持了声称天然气是一种更好烹饪燃料和低成本能源选择的研究。

“We are trying to get ahead of it,” said Stuart Saulters, the Director of Government Affairs of the American Public Gas Association. He added that he thought there was a chance that the push for bans could grow larger.

美国公共天然气协会政府事务主任斯图尔特·绍尔特斯表示：“我们正试图未雨绸缪。”他还说，他认为有可能禁令的推动力会变得更大。

The American Petroleum Institute (API) represents the U.S. oil and gas industry. The API rejects claims that natural gas is bad for the environment.

美国石油协会代表着美国石油和天然气产业。该协会驳斥了天然气对环境有害的说法。

API spokesman Reid Porter said that the industry is limiting methane emissions with improved technology. He pointed to data from the Environmental Protection Agency showing a decrease in recent years.

美国石油协会发言人里德·波特表示，该行业正通过改进技术限制甲烷排放。他指出美国环境保护局的数据表明近年来甲烷排放都有所下降。

Seattle City Council Member Mike O’Brien is working on a law that could ban gas hookups in new buildings. The fuel, he said, “is odorless and invisible but has a huge impact on the climate.”

西雅图市议会议员麦克·奥布赖恩正在制定一项法律，禁止新建筑物安装天然气管道接口。他说，天然气“无色无味，但是对气候影响巨大。”

In July, a group called Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions held a press conference. The group was formed by Sempra Energy which owns a gas company. The group invited Southern California restaurant owners who use gas stoves.

一家名为“加州能源平衡解决方案”的组织今年7月举行了一场新闻发布会。该组织是由拥有一家天然气公司的桑普拉能源公司成立的。该组织邀请了使用燃气灶的南加州餐馆老板。

Charles Lu, who took part in the event, owns a Chinese restaurant chain. “We need instant, really strong fire,” he said. “Otherwise, I think it will kill the business.”

拥有一家中餐连锁店的查尔斯·卢参加了这场活动。他表示：“我们需要迅猛的火力，否则就会坑死这门生意。”

Wealthier homeowners may also resist electrification of kitchens and fireplaces, said Nic Dunfee of the environmental advising business TRC Companies.

TRC Companies这家环保咨询公司的尼克·邓菲表示，有钱的房主可能也会抵制厨房和壁炉的电气化。

He told a recent meeting of California energy officials that home builders are pushing back against proposed laws requiring electric stoves.

他最近在加州能源官员的一次会议上表示，房屋建筑商开始回击要求安装电炉的法律议案。

“They don’t feel that they are able to sell a home that doesn’t have natural-gas cooking,” he said.

邓菲说：“他们认为不安装天然气灶具的房子卖不掉。”

I’m John Russell.

And I’m Anne Ball.

Words in This Story

utility – n. a company that provides electricity, water, etc.

stove –n. an appliance used for cooking food

option – n. something that can be chosen : a choice or possibility

hookup – n. an arrangement or part by which pieces of equipment can be connected

odorless -- adj. not having a particular smell

electrification – n. the act of supplying (an area, building, etc.) with electric power