VOA常速英语2018--特朗普欲振兴煤炭业

August has not been a good month for environmentalists. First the Trump¹ administration proposed repeal² of tougher vehicle fuel efficiency and emission³ standards, revoking⁴ the rights of states like California to set their own limits.

8月对于环保人士来讲不太好过。首先是：特朗普政府就提出要废除更为严苛的汽车燃油效率和排放标准，同时收回了一些州自己设定上限的权利，加州也在其中。

We intend to submit comments on what we believe is an egregious⁵ proposal that violates the law and is damaging to the interests of the people this country when it comes to improving air quality.

我们想提交意见，因为在我们严重，这项提案臭名昭著，违反了法律，损害了美国人民的利益，无法提高空气质量。

That president Trump doubled down during a recent rally in Charleston, West Virginia, when he announced plans to roll back the Obama administration’s clean power plan.

随后，特朗普在西佛吉尼亚州查尔斯顿最近的一次集会上又来一记重拳：他宣布计划撤销奥巴马政府的清洁能源计划。

You can do a lot of things to those solar panels, but you know what you can’t hurt? Coal. You can do whatever you want to coal.

对太阳电池板可以做的事情有很多，但你们知道有什么是万万不能伤害的吗？煤炭。煤炭业大有可为。

Trump’s plan abandons the previous administration’s goal of scaling back US reliance on coal and reducing the nation’s carbon emissions⁶ by a third by the year 2030.

特朗普的计划废除了前一届政府的目标——减少美国对煤炭的依赖，在2030年之前，将美国的碳排放减少1/3。

Instead, Trump says coal producing states like West Virginia should be able to set their own limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. Environmental activists⁷ have denounced the proposals saying it sends the wrong message to the world.

相反，特朗普表示，产煤大州，比如西佛吉尼亚州，应该有为自己设定上限的权利，无论是温室气体排放的上限，还是由燃煤提供电力的发电厂。环保活动家谴责了特朗普的提案，并表示该提案给全球传递了错误的信号。

Cars and power plants together are responsible for the majority of carbon pollution from this country. And so for the administration to roll back all these climate protections at once, sends a real signal to the world that America is not going to do its part to reduce climate pollution.

汽车业和发电厂是美国碳排放的大头。所以特朗普政府降低保护气候的力度之举给全球传递了真切的信号：美国不会承担责任，不会减少气候污染。

The Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges the increased pollution from the rule change could lead to 1400 more premature⁸ deaths each year by 2030. But coal producers insist the fossil fuel is necessary for the nation’s energy security.

环境保护署坦言，条例的改变会导致污染加剧，所以在2030年之前，每年都会有1400多人早逝。但产煤大州则坚持认为，化石燃料对于美国的能源安全来讲不可或缺。

I think what you have are critics outside of this industry, that are a little bit unrealistic in their goals about a renewable economy built on wind power, wishes and unicorns⁹.

我觉得该提案的批评者都是行外人士，他们的想法不太现实，觉得可持续经济的目标就是对的，光靠风能、一厢情愿和独角兽就能实现。

If approved, Trump’s proposal, could keep coal plants operating longer, by not forcing companies to upgrade pollution controls. Coal miners support the president’s plan.

一旦该提案通过，煤场的运营时间就会拉长，因为升级污染控制水平对于各公司来说将不再是硬性要求。所以煤矿厂都力挺特朗普的计划。

I like everything he’s done. He’s sticking with his campaign promises.

我欣赏特朗普的所作所为，他一直在履行自己的竞选诺言。

But experts has skeptical¹⁰ Trump’s proposal can actually save coal jobs in the long term.

但一些专家持怀疑态度，他们不确定特朗普的提案是否能在长期内保住一些工作岗位。

Natural gas is cheaper, renewable costs are going down, so even though they are kind of rolling back some of the regulations that have been tougher on the coal industry, I think the coal industry is still facing some pretty significant headwinds.

天然气成本比以前低了，可再生能源的成本也在不断下降，所以即便政府放松对煤炭业的规定，我觉得煤炭业也依然面临着巨大阻力。

The administration’s proposals to roll back antipollution standards are in line with Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement. Now every country in the world except the US and Syria, are signatories of the agreement, which aims to mitigate¹¹ the effects of global warming.

特朗普政府放松反污染标准的提案与其决定退出2015年《巴黎协定》之举不谋而合。现在，除了美国和叙利亚之外的所有国家都是该协定的签约国。该协定的目标是减少全球变暖的影响。

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 repeal   

n.废止，撤消；v.废止，撤消

参考例句：

• He plans to repeal a number of current policies.他计划废除一些当前的政策。
• He has made out a strong case for the repeal of the law.他提出强有力的理由，赞成废除该法令。

3 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

4 revoking   

v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There are no provisions for revoking the prize. 没有撤销获奖的规定。 来自互联网
• The decision revoking the patent right shall be registered and announced by the Patent Office. 撤销专利权的决定，由专利局登记和公告。 来自互联网

5 egregious   

adj.非常的，过分的

参考例句：

• When it comes to blatant lies,there are none more egregious than budget figures.谈到公众谎言，没有比预算数字更令人震惊的。
• What an egregious example was here!现摆着一个多么触目惊心的例子啊。

6 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

9 unicorns   

n.（传说中身体似马的）独角兽( unicorn的名词复数 )；一角鲸；独角兽标记

参考例句：

• Unicorns are legendary beasts. 独角兽是传说里的野兽。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Assemble50 Elder Druids, 30 Silver Unicorns and10 Green Dragons do defend it. 募集50个德鲁伊长老，30只银色独角兽和10条绿龙用于防御。 来自互联网

10 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

11 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。