VOA标准英语2011--Ships Face Tougher Environmental Rules i

Ships Face Tougher Environmental Rules in California Ports

Some of the most polluted places in the world are ports, resulting in health problems that some experts say can lead not only to respiratory problems, but cancer.

In the United States, the western state of California has the nation's toughest environmental regulations when it comes to air quality at the ports. Its actions will impact ships from around the world.

Los Angeles is not only the second-largest city in the United States, but it also ranks high for having some of the dirtiest air in the U.S.

"We have the designation of perhaps having the worst air quality in the United States," noted 1 Christopher Patton with the Port of Los Angeles.

The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are among the main culprits for generating pollution in the area. Patton says in the last five years, there has been an effort to clean up the air within the two ports, and they are not the only ones.

"Even many of the Chinese, Korean and Japanese ports are looking at the same things we are because the problem is universal," added Patton. "You have high-density population areas where you have industrial port complexes and as those populations grow and as the standard of living improves, people consume more. You're going to have more imported and exported products and that creates an air quality problem."

Heather Tomley with the Port of Long Beach says oceangoing vessels 2 create a significant amount of pollution.

"They are greater than 50% of the emissions 3 that we see at the ports and they are our biggest challenge," noted Tomley.

To clean up the air, California is the only state in the U.S. to require all ships to use low-sulfur fuel when they are within 44 kilometers of the shore. A recent study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 4 Administration (NOAA) found that using this type of fuel reduced harmful emissions by as much as 90 percent. But ship pilot Mark Coynes says the engines of many ships are not designed for cleaner fuel.

"It not only can potentially damage the engine, but it could actually cause operational problems," noted Coynes.

But ship engines will have to be adapted. Starting in 2012, under the International Maritime 5 Organization's regulations, all ships within 370 kilometers of North America will have to use cleaner diesel 6 fuel. This is already the standard when it comes to the Baltic and North Seas.

Once docked, ships traditionally continue to use diesel to power the vessels. Under California law, the most visited ports in the state are now working towards providing shore power for certain types of ships so they can plug into an electric power supply and reduce emissions. Christopher Patton says shore power can also be found in the Port of Shanghai.

"They have a very active and aggressive shore power program that they're implementing 7 throughout all their marine 8 terminals and they're utilizing 9 the technology that in fact we spearheaded here at the Port of Los Angeles for container ships," said Patton.

The ports around the U.S. are also trying to reduce emissions in cargo 10 handling equipment and trucks. Some trucks now run on cleaner burning diesel fuel engines, while others are using compressed or liquefied natural gas. Peter Torres' company sells trucks that run on propane. Torres says he has suffered the effects of polluted air.

"I've been a foreman and a longshoreman for 31 years and I've known in the last 15 years, I've felt a considerably 11 different feeling in my respiratory system in the way that I breathe and how much air I can take in and out," Torres said.

Heather Tomley with the Port of Long Beach says the hope is to get an 85 percent reduction in health risk. To help with that goal, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach hope to have electric vehicles that operate in and around the port complex within the next several years.

点击收听单词发音  






1
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。












2
vessels

  
 


n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人


参考例句：





The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》












3
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。












4
atmospheric

  
 


adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的


参考例句：





Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。












5
maritime

  
 


adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的


参考例句：





Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。












6
diesel

  
 


n.柴油发动机，内燃机


参考例句：





We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。












7
implementing

  
 


v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效


参考例句：





-- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句












8
marine

  
 


adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵


参考例句：





Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。












9
utilizing

  
 


v.利用，使用( utilize的现在分词 )


参考例句：





Utilizing an assembler to produce a machine-language program. 用汇编程序产生机器语言的过程。 来自辞典例句
The study and use of devices utilizing properties of materials near absolute zero in temperature. 对材料在接近绝对零度时的特性进行研究和利用的学科。 来自辞典例句












10
cargo

  
 


n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物


参考例句：





The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。












11
considerably

  
 


adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上


参考例句：





The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。