Obama rejects Keystone pipeline

 　　WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that his administration had decided¹ to reject the proposed Keystone pipeline² between Canada and the United States.

　　In a statement released by the White House, Obama said the " rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment³ of the pipeline's impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment."

　　"As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Department's report, I agree," he said.

　　Obama emphasized that the rejection⁴ was "not a judgment⁵ on the merits of the pipeline," blaming the "arbitrary nature of a deadline" for preventing the State Department from gathering⁶ information necessary to make a decision.

　　"I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my Administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence⁷ on oil," he said, vowing⁸ to continue to work with the oil and gas industry to increase America's energy security.

　　The 7-billion-U.S.-dollar Keystone XL pipeline, proposed by TransCanada, an energy giant based in Canada, would run 1,700 miles (2,720 km) to connect Canada's oil sands to refineries⁹ around Houston and the Gulf¹⁰ of Mexico.

　　Due to intense opposition¹¹ from environmentalists as well as public officials in the United States, the Obama administration had tried to delay potential approval of the Keystone XL pipeline until 2013.

　　But the Republicans are pressing Obama to accelerate the project, saying the pipeline could significantly reduce U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil while providing thousands of jobs. In December last year, the U.S. congress forced the administration to made a final decision before Feb. 21.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

3 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

4 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

5 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

6 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

7 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

8 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

9 refineries   

精炼厂( refinery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The efforts on closedown and suspension of small sugar refineries, small saccharin refineries and small paper mills are also being carried out in steps. 关停小糖厂、小糖精厂、小造纸厂的工作也已逐步展开。
• Hence the sitting of refineries is at a distance from population centres. 所以，炼油厂的厂址总在远离人口集中的地方。

10 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。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。