評(píng)論
打印
EPA's Reckoning Is a Rosier View of Air Pollution
環(huán)保署評(píng)估空氣污染時(shí)，所持態(tài)度過(guò)于樂(lè)觀
By Lisa Friedman
文/麗莎·弗里德曼
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency plans to change the way it calculates the health risks of air pollution,
華盛頓電——環(huán)保署計(jì)劃改變計(jì)算空氣污染帶來(lái)的健康風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的方式，
a shift that would make it easier to roll back a key climate change rule because it would result in far fewer predicted deaths from pollution,
這一轉(zhuǎn)變會(huì)導(dǎo)致污染致死的預(yù)測(cè)數(shù)據(jù)變得小得多，壓低這一關(guān)鍵的氣候變化規(guī)則也會(huì)變得更加容易，
according to five people with knowledge of the agency’s plans.
據(jù)了解環(huán)保署這批計(jì)劃的五名人士透露。
The E.P.A. had originally forecast that eliminating the Obama-era rule, the Clean Power Plan,
環(huán)保署原先就預(yù)測(cè)過(guò)，取消奧巴馬的政策，即取消“清潔能源計(jì)劃”，
and replacing it with a new measure would have resulted in an additional 1,400 premature deaths per year.
繼而代之以新的措施，過(guò)早死亡的年均數(shù)據(jù)可能還要多出1400例。
The new analytical model would significantly reduce that number
采用了新的分析模型，這一數(shù)據(jù)便會(huì)銳減，
and would most likely be used by the Trump administration to defend further rollbacks of air pollution rules if it is formally adopted.
而且，如果這一模型被正式采納，特朗普政府極有可能會(huì)用它來(lái)為進(jìn)一步降低空氣污染規(guī)定辯護(hù)。
The proposed shift is the latest example of the Trump administration downgrading the estimates of environmental harm from pollution in regulations.
特朗普政府正在下調(diào)有關(guān)規(guī)定中對(duì)污染造成的環(huán)境損害的評(píng)估，這次擬議的調(diào)整可以說(shuō)就是最新的例子。
In this case, the proposed methodology would assume there is little or no health benefit to making the air any cleaner than what the law requires.
這次提議的方法認(rèn)為，讓空氣質(zhì)量高出法律要求的水平對(duì)人們的健康幾乎沒(méi)有任何助益。
Many experts said that approach was not scientifically sound
許多專家都表示，從科學(xué)的角度來(lái)講，這種方法并不可靠，
and that, in the real world, there are no safe levels of the fine particulate pollution associated with the burning of fossil fuels.
而且，在現(xiàn)實(shí)中，化石燃料燃燒產(chǎn)生的細(xì)顆粒物污染也不存在什么安全水平。
Fine particulate matter — the tiny, deadly particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream —
細(xì)微顆?！布茨切┠軌蛏钊敕尾坎⑦M(jìn)入血液，微小但致命的顆粒——
is linked to heart attacks, strokes and respiratory disease.
與心臟病、中風(fēng)和呼吸系統(tǒng)疾病等多種疾病都有關(guān)。
The five people familiar with the plan, all current or former E.P.A. officials, said the new modeling method
熟悉該計(jì)劃的那五名人士都是環(huán)保署現(xiàn)任或前任官員，
would appear in the agency’s analysis of the final version of the replacement regulation, known as the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which is expected to be made public in June.
他們稱，新的建模方法將出現(xiàn)在環(huán)保署對(duì)預(yù)計(jì)將于今年6月公布的替代法規(guī)，即“平價(jià)清潔能源規(guī)定”，最終版本的分析里。
Asked on Monday whether the new method would be included in the agency’s final analysis of the rule,
周一被問(wèn)及新方法是否會(huì)被納入該機(jī)構(gòu)對(duì)該規(guī)定的最終分析時(shí)，
William L. Wehrum, the E.P.A. air quality chief, said
環(huán)保局空氣質(zhì)量部主管威廉·韋魯姆只說(shuō)，
only that the final version would include multiple analytical approaches in an effort to be transparent.
最終版本將包括多種分析方法，力求透明。
He said the agency had made no formal change to its methodology.
他說(shuō)，該機(jī)構(gòu)還沒(méi)有對(duì)其評(píng)估方法作出正式改變。
“It’s a very important issue, and it’s an issue where there has been a lot of debate over what the right approach is,” Mr. Wehrum said.
“這是一個(gè)非常重要的問(wèn)題，在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上，究竟什么才是正確的方法出現(xiàn)了很多爭(zhēng)論，”韋魯姆說(shuō)道。
The E.P.A., when making major regulatory changes,
在對(duì)規(guī)章制度進(jìn)行重大改革時(shí)，
is normally expected to demonstrate that society will see more benefits than costs from the change.
人們通常都期望環(huán)保署能證明，大家能從變革中看到更多的利益而不是更多的成本。
Experts said that, while benefits would appear on paper in this case,
專家們表示，雖然書面上會(huì)出現(xiàn)變革的各種好處，
the change actually disregards potential dangers to public health.
但這一改變實(shí)際上是忽視了它對(duì)公共健康的潛在威脅。
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