VOA慢速英语20060902a

IN THE NEWS - California Plan to Cut Greenhouse Gases Makes Some Happy, but Others Are WorriedBy Brianna Blake

Broadcast: Saturday, September 02, 2006

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Environmentalists are praising a bill passed this week in California -- the Global Warming Solutions Act of Two Thousand Six. It would make California the first American state to restrict the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.


Producing electricity in Huntington Beach, California

Opponents say it would damage the state's economy, one of the largest in the world.

State lawmakers sent the bill to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday. That was a day after the Republican governor reached agreement on the plan with the Democratic majority in the Legislature.

He faced opposition² within his own party, but says he will sign the bill into law.

California is the nation's most populated state and the world's twelfth largest producer of greenhouse gases. The plan calls for a reduction of about twenty-five percent by two thousand twenty -- to return to nineteen ninety levels.

The governor, in an order last year, called for the cuts, along with much greater ones by two thousand fifty.

The California Chamber³ of Commerce says the newly approved bill will cause severe economic harm. And the business group says the rules would do almost nothing to improve the global environment.

But supporters say other producers could follow California's lead.

The Legislature acted just before the end of its current session. Political experts say the plan will help Governor Schwarzenegger politically. He is seeking re-election this November in a heavily Democratic state known for its environmental activism.

The plan calls for controls on major industries including coal-burning producers of electric power. Others include oil and gas refineries⁴ and cement makers¹.

Some business leaders worry that electricity costs will increase. Critics also say that some businesses might move their operations to other states or other countries. But other businesses, including those that work with environmentally friendlier technologies, say it could create new industries and jobs.

Scientists widely believe that human activity is involved in global warming. State officials say rising temperatures could cause mountain snows in California to melt earlier in the year. That could produce floods and reduce water supplies over time.

But some Republican lawmakers noted⁵ that disagreement still exists about how much climate change could be natural.

Opponents of the bill also argued that climate change is a national and not a state issue. The Bush administration says it supports efforts to reduce greenhouse gases as long as they are done by choice and not required by law.

The bill in California also calls for a market trading system, similar to one in Europe. Companies that release less than their limit of greenhouse gases could trade surplus credits to other businesses.

And that's IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. Our reports, and more, can be found at www.unsv.com. I'm Steve Ember.

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 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。

5 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。