SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Gray Wolf in Eastern U.S. May Come Off

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Gray Wolf in Eastern U.S. May Come Off Endangered List / U.S. States Could Get More Power to Build Road...
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Broadcast: Tuesday, July 27, 2004

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty¹.

VOICE TWO:

 
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And I'm Sarah Long. Coming up this week: gray wolves in the eastern United States may come off the endangered list.

VOICE ONE:

Another proposal in Washington would give states more power to decide about road building in national forests.

VOICE TWO:

And, a report on underwater "dead zones."

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VOICE ONE:

Government scientists in the United States say populations of the eastern gray wolf have returned to healthy levels in several states. As a result, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service says the time has come to remove this animal from the list of endangered species.

Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in nineteen-seventy-three. At that time, the population of eastern gray wolves was down to a few hundred in Minnesota and Michigan. Historically, the eastern gray wolf populated a large number of states, including the New England area of the Northeast.

VOICE TWO:

Interior Secretary Gale³ Norton announced the proposal to remove the eastern gray wolf from the endangered list. Placement on the list provides special protections for animals and plants at risk of going out of existence.

A count in Minnesota in nineteen-ninety-eight reported more than two-thousand-four-hundred gray wolves. The government says Michigan and Wisconsin together have almost seven-hundred.

Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin are in the Great Lakes area. Federal officials say all three states have plans in place to support the long-term survival of their gray wolf populations. These animals are also known as timber wolves because they live mainly in forests.

VOICE ONE:

The Fish and Wildlife Service will accept public comments until November on its proposed action.

Criticism surfaced immediately. The Wolf Conservation Center in New York says the recovery is just beginning. That group says what has been gained in the numbers of eastern gray wolves could quickly be lost.

An expert on wolf recovery from the National Wildlife Federation⁴ also denounced the proposal. Peggy Struhsacker says the plan would threaten efforts to return wolf populations in the northeastern states. She says wolves are needed there to help keep populations of the animals they hunt, like deer and moose, in balance.

The action under the Endangered Species Act would only affect gray wolves in the eastern United States. Special protections would continue for populations of western and southwestern gray wolves.

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VOICE TWO:

You are listening to SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English.

In January of two-thousand-one, President Bill Clinton signed a policy called the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. He signed it shortly before he left office. The rule made it illegal to build roads in about twenty-four million hectares of national forests. The goal was to restrain the cutting of trees by the wood products industry. The rule covered almost one-third of the national forest system.

The government has faced legal action ever since the rule took effect. Timber companies argue that the rule is unfair and hurts business. A number of states also have gone to court. They say they should have more power to make decisions about forests within their states.

Now the Clinton administration rule may be coming to the end of its road.

VOICE ONE:

This month, the Bush administration moved to replace the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman proposed a new rule. She made the announcement in Idaho, one of the states that have most strongly protested the current rule. Mizz Veneman said endless lawsuits⁵ do not represent progress for communities. She said the new rule she proposed would lead to more cooperation between state and federal officials.

Most roadless areas in national forests are in the West. Twelve states contain ninety-seven percent of all the roadless areas in the national forests.

The Agriculture Department says the proposed rule establishes a process for governors to work with the Forest Service. It says the purpose is to develop locally supported rules for conserving⁶ roadless areas. State governors could ask for areas to be kept roadless. They could also request permission to develop areas of national forests.

VOICE TWO:

Timber companies and leaders in several states praised the new proposal. Governor Dick Kempthorne of Idaho appeared with Mizz Veneman as she made the announcement. He said the proposal creates a process that honors the independence of states.

Environmental defense⁷ groups have their own opinion of the proposed new rule. Tim Preso is a lawyer with Earthjustice. That organization is defending the Clinton administration rule in a number of cases. Mister Preso says national forests belong to all Americans. He says state governors should not be able to go against the people's interest in protecting those forests.

Americans have until September to comment on the proposed rule before a final version is published.

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VOICE ONE:

"Dead zones" are areas of water starved of oxygen. These areas are produced by pollution or natural causes. The United Nations Environment Program says there are almost one-hundred-fifty dead zones in oceans and seas around the world.

Dead zones return year after year. They often develop in deep water close to shore. Usually they are found in water that differs in temperature or salt content from surface to bottom.

Normal numbers of fish may live near the surface of a dead zone. But deep down, the fish lack enough oxygen. They leave the dead zone if they can. Shellfish that cannot escape the zone fast enough can die. So may other creatures that live on the bottom of the sea.

VOICE TWO:

Experts say these dead zones are a threat to fish supplies and to the people who depend on them.

Earlier this year the U.N. Environment Program released its first "Global Environment Outlook Year Book." It says oxygen-starved areas in coastal⁸ waters have been expanding since the nineteen-sixties. It says there are two times as many as there were in nineteen-ninety.

The U.N. Environment Program says the causes of dead zones can differ from place to place around the world. The causes can include agricultural and human wastes and air pollution from the burning of fuel.

VOICE ONE:

One of the largest dead zones is in the Gulf⁹ of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana in the southern United States. Oxygen loss in the Gulf of Mexico can begin as early as February. And it can last until the middle of fall.

Scientists say nitrogen carried into the Gulf of Mexico from agricultural lands is mainly responsible. One report says an area of about twenty thousand square kilometers in the Gulf is affected¹⁰ now.

The Mississippi River carries freshwater into the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi is the largest river in the United States. It passes by many agricultural areas.

VOICE TWO:

Nitrogen increases the growth of algae¹¹ in water. Algae is a single-celled organism, a rootless green plant. But a lot of algae can make an ocean or lake look like a forest.

When algae die, they fall to the ocean floor. Bacteria then eat the remains¹². These bacteria take most of the oxygen from the deepest levels.

Federal environmental officials say pollution from drilling for oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico might worsen the dead zone. Gannett News Service reported this month that some permits for new drilling have been delayed because of these concerns. A three-year study of the issue is planned.

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VOICE ONE:

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Caty Weaver¹³ and Jerilyn Watson. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. This is Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Sarah Long.. Join us again next week for more news about science, in Special English, on the Voice of America.

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

3 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

4 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

5 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

6 conserving   

v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Contour planning with or without terracing is effective in conserving both soil and moisture. 顺等高线栽植，无论做或不做梯田对于保持水土都能有效。 来自辞典例句
• Economic savings, consistent with a conserving society and the public philosophy. 经济节约，符合创建节约型社会的公共理念。 来自互联网

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。