VOA标准英语2008年-Coastal Oil Drilling Becomes US Campaign Issue

By Greg Flakus
Houston
18 June 2008

President Bush and Republican presidential candidate John McCain are both calling for an end to a moratorium¹ on developing oil and natural gas resources along much of the U.S. coastline. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposes such a move, saying the country needs to move away from oil. Meanwhile, public-opinion polls show U.S. consumers favoring more development of domestic resources to offset² high fuel prices. VOA's Greg Flakus has more on the story from Houston.
　

In this 28 Mar3 2006 file photo, the Discoverer Deep Seas drillship sits on station off the coast of Louisiana as Chevron4 drills for oil in the Gulf5 of Mexico

Energy has become one of the main issues clearly dividing the two U.S. political parties as they prepare for their national conventions. With oil trading on the world market at above $130 a barrel, U.S. consumers are feeling the economic impact at the gasoline pump and in increased food prices.

During a speech Tuesday in Houston, Senator John McCain called for an end to a moratorium on energy development in coastal⁶ areas.

"The broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production," he said.

The ban, which has been in effect since 1981, covers more than 80 percent of the U.S. coastline and the outer continental⁷ shelf. The ban was put in place to reduce the chances of environmental damage from oil spills and in part to protect the tourist industry. Senator McCain once opposed development in coastal areas, but he says the rapidly rising cost of fuel makes it necessary.
　

John McCain speaks during a campaign event in Houston, 17 June 2008

"As a matter of fairness to the American people and a matter of duty for our government, we must deal with the here and now and assure affordable⁸ fuel for America by increasing domestic production," he added.

Senator Barack Obama responded in a chat with reporters on board his campaign plane Tuesday, criticizing McCain for changing his position on the issue from his earlier stance and deriding⁹ the notion that offshore¹⁰ oil development would reduce the energy crunch¹¹.

"There is no way that allowing offshore drilling would lower gas prices right now," he said. "At best you are looking at five years down the road."
　

Barack Obama talks to the media during a news conference on his campaign plane en route from Michigan to Washington, DC, 17 June 2008

In a conference call with reporters, former Democratic Governor of Iowa and Obama supporter Tom Vilsack accused McCain of pandering¹² to voters rather than providing a long-term energy solution.

"It is clear that the strength of this country is going to be dependent on us moving away from oil, not towards more oil," he said.

Energy sector¹³ analysts¹⁴ say both sides in this debate have legitimate¹⁵ points, but that the high cost of fuel is likely to influence voters in favor of more drilling.

One man who has a politically neutral perspective, is Charles Groat, who teaches at the University of Texas and served as director of the U.S. Geological Survey under both Presidents Clinton and Bush. He says the potential of the coasts is shown by the vast amounts of oil that have been extracted with little environmental impact from offshore sites in the Gulf of Mexico.
　

Charles Groat

"You have got to think that, with modern exploration techniques, the chances for finding substantial amounts of oil and gas off both our east and west coasts has got to be significant, but they have to have a chance to try and with the moratorium that is not happening these days," he noted¹⁶.

Groat acknowledges that it may take a few years to find the oil and begin developing the infrastructure¹⁷ to extract it, but he says that oil could be very welcome in a few years if energy prices keep climbing, as they surely will given global demand.

As for alternative energy, Groat says there is nothing on the horizon at present that would substantially replace the need for oil and gas.

"I think the missing consideration in the real push towards alternatives is that demand growth for traditional fuels, transportation fuels in particular, is substantial in the United States and globally as well," he added. "That is not going to abate¹⁸ even if we do have some fairly effective conservation moves. So the demand for traditional hydrocarbons¹⁹ is going to grow, not shrink, even if we move more and more into alternatives."

Groat says failure to address the issue of rising energy costs could lead to a severe economic downturn.

1 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

2 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 chevron   

n.V形臂章；V形图案

参考例句：

• He wore shoulderstrap rank slides with sergeant's chevrons.他佩戴标示级别的肩章，上面有中士的V形标志。
• The chevron or arrow road sign indicates a sharp bend to the left or right.V形或箭头路标表示有向左或向右的急转弯。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

7 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

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 deriding   

v.取笑，嘲笑( deride的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The girls are deriding that boy's foolishness. 姑娘们在嘲笑那个男孩的愚笨。 来自互联网

10 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

11 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

12 pandering   

v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 )；纵容某人；迁就某事物

参考例句：

• This magazine is criticized for pandering to the vulgar taste of some readers. 这家杂志因迎合某些读者的低级趣味而遭到批评。 来自辞典例句
• We're four points up there; we don't need to get hit for pandering. 我们在那儿领先四个百分点；我们不必为了迎合一些选民而遭受批评。 来自电影对白

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

14 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

15 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

18 abate   

vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退

参考例句：

• We must abate the noise pollution in our city.我们必须消除我们城里的噪音污染。
• The doctor gave him some medicine to abate the powerful pain.医生给了他一些药，以减弱那剧烈的疼痛。

19 hydrocarbons   

n.碳氢化合物，烃( hydrocarbon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hydrocarbons (HC), like carbon monoxide, represent unburned and wasted fuel. 碳氢化合物(HC)像一氧化碳一样，为未燃尽的和被浪费掉的燃料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• With this restricted frequency range it is not applicable to hydrocarbons. 这个较紧缩的频率范围不适用于烃类。 来自辞典例句