VOA常速英语2018--特朗普的环境监管政策倒退，给环保人士敲响了警钟

Trump¹’s Environmental Regulation Roll-backs Alarm Activists²

August has not been a good month for environmentalists.First the Trump administration proposed repeal³ of tougher vehicle fuel efficiency and emission⁴ standards,revoking the rights of states like California to set their own limits.

对环保主义者来说，8月份不是个好月份。首先，特朗普政府提议废除更严格的汽车燃油效率和排放标准，取消加州等州设定自身限制的权利。

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

我们打算就我们认为是违反法律、损害本国人民利益的一项令人震惊的提案提出意见，以改善空气质量。

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

特朗普总统最近在西弗吉尼亚州查尔斯顿举行的集会中宣布了计划削减奥巴马政府清洁能源计划，这使他的支持率翻了一番。

“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.”

你可以对太阳能电池板做任何事情，但是你不能伤害什么吗？煤炭。你可以对煤炭做任何事情。 

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

特朗普的计划放弃了上届政府设定的目标，即减少美国对煤炭的依赖，并在2030年前将美国的碳排放量减少三分之一。

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

特朗普说，像西弗吉尼亚州这样的产煤州应该能够对燃煤发电厂的温室气体排放设定自己的限制。环保人士谴责这些提议，称其向世界发出了错误的信息。

“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 worldthat America is not going to do its part to reduce climate pollution.”

汽车和发电站共同造成了这个国家大部分的碳污染，因此政府立即撤销所有这些气候保护措施，向世界发出了一个真正的信号，即美国不会为减少气候污染尽自己的一份力量。

The Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges the increased pollution from the rule changecould lead to 1400 more premature⁷ deaths each year by 2030.But coal producers insist the fossil fuel is necessary for the nation’s energy security.

美国环境保护署承认，到2030年，新规造成的污染加剧可能导致每年1400多人过早死亡。但煤炭生产商坚持认为，化石燃料对国家的能源安全是必要的。

“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 unicorns⁸.”

我认为，那些外行的批评人士，他们对于建立在风能、愿望和单角兽基础上的可再生经济的目标有些不切实际。

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.

特朗普的提议如果获得批准，可以通过不强迫企业升级污染控制措施，延长燃煤电厂的运营时间。煤矿工人们支持总统的计划。

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

我喜欢他所做的一切。他坚守自己的竞选承诺。 

But experts has skeptical⁹ Trump’s proposal can actually save coal jobs in the long term.

但专家们对特朗普的提议能否在长期内真正挽救煤炭就业持怀疑态度。 

“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.”

天然气更便宜，可再生能源的成本正在下降，因此，尽管它们在某种程度上取消了一些对煤炭行业更为严格的规定，但我认为煤炭行业仍面临一些相当大的阻力。

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 mitigate¹⁰ the effects of global warming.

政府提出的反对污染防治标准的建议符合特朗普退出2015年巴黎协议的决定。现在，除了美国和叙利亚，世界上所有国家都签署了旨在减轻全球变暖影响的协议。

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 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》

3 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。

4 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。

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 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。

8 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

9 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。

10 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。