VOA标准英语2010年-Oil Spill Fund Chief Says He is 'Behol

Kenneth R. Feinberg, who was recently appointed by President Barack Obama as the Independent Administrator¹ of the Gulf² Claims Facility for the $20 billion BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill compensation fund, speaks at the Economics Club in Washington, 19 Jul 2010

Kenneth Feinberg, the administrator of a $20 billion compensation fund for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, says he is independent of President Barack Obama and the energy company BP who agreed to put him in charge.  Feinberg appeared before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

 

Kenneth Feinberg is the man responsible for making sure fair compensation is provided to those affected³ by the explosion of the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20th that killed 11 workers and triggered the largest oil spill in U.S. history.

"I am in charge of an independent Gulf Coast claims facility," said Feinberg.  "Under the arrangement entered into between the administration and BP, I am designing and administering an independent facility.  I am beholden to neither the administration nor BP.  I am really beholden to the people who live in the Gulf [of Mexico]."

Feinberg acknowledged that BP is paying his salary and the salaries of those working for him.

Republican and Democratic members of the House panel lavished⁴ praise on Feinberg for his fairness and service to the nation in administering compensation funds for the 2001 terrorist attacks, Agent Orange victims of the Vietnam War and victims of the Virginia Tech University massacre⁵ three years ago.

Feinberg said the Gulf Coast claims fund will be operating in August, and he told those harmed by the oil spill that the fund will be more generous with them than any court might be.  Feinberg explained that claimants can receive initial emergency payments for six months without giving up their right to sue.  After that, claimants can decide whether they want to accept a lump sum payment for all future damages, or decline it and retain the right to sue for damages in court.  Feinberg said there is no need for victims to hire an attorney because his facility will have attorneys on staff to provide legal services to individuals free of charge.

Feinberg told the House panel that many claims will be easy for the facility to decide, such as fishermen and oystermen who have lost income due to the oil spill, and that victims can be compensated⁶ for lost health insurance or tourism revenue and not only damages directly related to the spill.

 

In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Ronnie Rouse, of T&T Marine⁷ Salvage⁸, a company contracted to clean tar⁹ balls off of Galveston beaches, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Garcia from Marine Safety Unit of Galveston, discuss how to dispose of a tar ball on East Beach in Galveston, Texas 6 Jul 2010

But Feinberg said other claims would be more difficult to decide, citing this hypothetical case:

"I own a hotel 20 miles for the beach, am I eligible¹⁰?  I have lost 30 percent of my guests because of the spill.  I don't use the beach; I don't fish.  But my tourism is down.  Is that an eligible claim?" he asked.

Several lawmakers asked questions about homeowners along the Gulf of Mexico who cannot sell or rent their properties, and real estate agents who have lost business, and whether they would be eligible for compensation.  Feinberg said they probably would have a difficult time winning in a court of law.  But he said he wants to be just and that he will try to develop a solution for them.

BP has been criticized for delays in processing claims.  Feinberg made clear that his facility will take over all claims from BP in August and will operate for three years.
 

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 lavished   

v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I lavished all the warmth of my pent-up passion. 我把憋在心里那一股热烈的情感尽量地倾吐出来。 来自辞典例句
• An enormous amount of attention has been lavished on these problems. 在这些问题上，我们已经花费了大量的注意力。 来自辞典例句

5 massacre   

n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀

参考例句：

• There was a terrible massacre of villagers here during the war.在战争中，这里的村民惨遭屠杀。
• If we forget the massacre,the massacre will happen again!忘记了大屠杀，大屠杀就有可能再次发生！

6 compensated   

补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）

参考例句：

• The marvelous acting compensated for the play's weak script. 本剧的精彩表演弥补了剧本的不足。
• I compensated his loss with money. 我赔偿他经济损失。

7 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

9 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

10 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。