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环保局无权限制发电厂碳排放(中)

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如此重大和重要的决策应该由国会做出,或是由依据国会的明确授权而采取行动的机构做出。

环保局无权限制发电厂碳排放(中)

双语精读

The question in the case, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, turned on the scope of the language of the Clean Air Act.

首席大法官罗伯茨写道,该案取决于《清洁空气法案》的措辞范围。

Under it, he wrote, Congress had not clearly given the agency sweeping authority to regulate the energy industry.

他写道,根据该法案,国会没有明确授予该机构监管能源行业的广泛权力。

"Capping carbon dioxide emissions at a level that will force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity may be a sensible 'solution to the crisis of the day,'" he wrote, quoting an earlier decision.

他援引早些时候的一项裁决写道:"将二氧化碳排放量限制在一定水平,迫使(发电厂)在全国范围内放弃使用煤炭发电,这可能是一种明智的‘解决当今危机的方案'。"

But, he added, "a decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body."

但是,他补充说,"如此重大和重要的决策应该由国会做出,或是由依据国会的明确授权而采取行动的机构做出。"

In dissent, Justice Kagan wrote that the court had substituted its own policy judgment for that of Congress.

大法官卡根对此表示异议,她写道,最高法院用自己的政策判断取代了国会的政策判断。

"Whatever else this court may know about, it does not have a clue about how to address climate change," she wrote.

她写道:"无论最高法院对其他事情有多少了解,该机构对如何应对气候变化都是一无所知。"

"And let's say the obvious: The stakes here are high. Yet the court today prevents congressionally authorized agency action to curb power plants' carbon dioxide emissions."

"让我们说一个显而易见的事实: 现在风险很高。 然而,今天最高法院阻止了国会授权的机构采取行动来限制发电厂二氧化碳的排放量。"

"The court appoints itself -- instead of Congress or the expert agency -- the decision maker on climate policy," she wrote. "I cannot think of many things more frightening."

"最高法院将自己,而非国会或专门机构,任命为气候政策的决策者。"她写道,"我想不出还有什么能比这更可怕。"

The ruling curtailed but did not eliminate the agency's ability to regulate the energy sector, and the agency may still use measures like emission controls at individual power plants. But the court ruled out more ambitious approaches, like a cap-and-trade system.

这项裁决对环保局监管能源行业的职能进行了限制,但没有废除,该机构可能仍会对个别发电厂使用控制排放等措施。但法院否决了更有野心的做法,比如总量管制与交易体系。

It has also expressed skepticism toward the reach of other regulatory agencies, evident in recent decisions arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

法院对其他监管机构的权力范围也表示质疑,这从最近新冠病毒疫情引发的裁决中可见一斑。

The court has ruled, for instance, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was not authorized to impose a moratorium on evictions and that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was powerless to tell large employers to have their workers vaccinated or undergo frequent testing.

例如,最高法院裁定,疾病控制和预防中心无权暂缓驱逐命令,职业安全与健康管理局无权要求大型雇主为其员工接种疫苗或进行频繁的检测。

The question before the justices in the new case, West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 20-1530, was whether the Clean Air Act allowed the E.P.A. to issue sweeping regulations across the power sector.

在这起编号为20-1530的西弗吉尼亚州诉环境保护局的新案件中,摆在法官面前的问题是,《清洁空气法案》是否允许环保局在电力行业发布全面的法规。

词汇预习

  • individual [高考]

    美[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl] | 英[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl]

    adj. 单独的;一个人的;独有的 n. 个人;个体

  • issue [高考]

    美[ˈɪʃuː] | 英[ˈɪʃuː]

    n. 问题,议题,争论点;(报纸、杂志等的)期刊号;发放,分配;(新股票或邮票等的)发行;子女,后嗣;流出,发出 v. 发表,颁布;分发,分配;正式发行;流出,发出;由……产生,由…得出

  • emission [高考]

    美[iˈmɪʃn] | 英[iˈmɪʃn]

    n. 散发;发行;排放

  • ambitious [高考]

    美[æmˈbɪʃəs] | 英[æmˈbɪʃəs]

    adj. 有雄心的;野心勃勃的;有抱负的

  • transition [高考]

    美[trænˈzɪʃn] | 英[trænˈzɪʃn]

    n. 转变;过渡

  • generate [高考]

    美[ˈdʒenəreɪt] | 英[ˈdʒenəreɪt]

    vt. 产生;发生;引起

  • undergo [高考]

    美[ˌʌndərˈɡoʊ] | 英[ˌʌndəˈɡəʊ]

    vt. 经历;经受;遭受

  • regulate [高考]

    美[ˈreɡjuleɪt] | 英[ˈreɡjuleɪt]

    vt. 调整;校准;管理;控制

  • sector [高考]

    美[ˈsektər] | 英[ˈsektə(r)]

    n. 部门;部分;区域 n. [计]扇形;扇区 vt. 使分成部分

  • impose [高考]

    美[ɪmˈpoʊz] | 英[ɪmˈpəʊz]

    v. 强加;课征;强迫;征收(税款)

  • eliminate [高考]

    美[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt] | 英[ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt]

    v. 除去;剔除;忽略;淘汰

  • sensible [高考]

    美[ˈsensəbl] | 英[ˈsensəbl]

    adj. 明智的;合情理的;可觉察的;实际的 n. 可感知物

  • clue [高考]

    美[kluː] | 英[kluː]

    n. 线索;(故事等的)情节 vt. 为…提供线索;为…提供情况

  • agency [高考]

    美[ˈeɪdʒənsi] | 英[ˈeɪdʒənsi]

    n. 代理;代理处;政府机构

  • consequence [高考]

    美[ˈkɑːnsɪkwens] | 英[ˈkɒnsɪkwəns]

    n. 结果;后果;重要性;影响

  • obvious [高考]

    美[ˈɑːbviəs] | 英[ˈɒbviəs]

    adj.明显的;显著的;平淡无奇的;自明

  • judgment [高考]

    美['dʒʌdʒmənt] | 英['dʒʌdʒmənt]

    n. 裁判;判断;判断力;意见;判决书

  • frequent [高考]

    美['frikwənt] | 英['friːkw(ə)nt]

    adj. 频繁的;经常的 vt. 常到;常去

  • evident [高考]

    美[ˈevɪdənt] | 英[ˈevɪdənt]

    adj. 明白的;明显的

  • nationwide [高考]

    美[ˌneɪʃnˈwaɪd] | 英[ˌneɪʃnˈwaɪd]

    adj. 全国性的 adv. 在全国范围内

  • representative [高考]

    美[ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv] | 英[ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv]

    n. 代表;众议员;典型 adj. 代表的;典型的;代表制的

  • solution to [高考]

    美 | 英

    解决 ... 的方法

  • scope [四级]

    美[skoʊp] | 英[skəʊp]

    n. 机会;范围;眼界;观看的仪器 vt. 仔细研究

  • delegation [四级]

    美[ˌdelɪˈɡeɪʃn] | 英[ˌdelɪˈɡeɪʃn]

    n. 代表团;委派;授权,委托

  • curb [四级]

    美[kɜːrb] | 英[kɜːb]

    v. 控制,抑制; 约束,限定 n. 起控制(或限制)作用的事物

  • regulatory [四级]

    美[ˈregjələtɔri] | 英[ˈregjələtəri]

    adj. 管理的;控制的;调整的

  • magnitude [六级]

    美[ˈmæɡnɪtuːd] | 英[ˈmæɡnɪtjuːd]

    n. 大小;重要;光度;(地震)级数;(星星)等级

  • dissent [专四]

    美[dɪˈsent] | 英[dɪˈsent]

    n. 异议 v. 持异议

  • sweeping [专八]

    美[ˈswipɪŋ] | 英[ˈswi:pɪŋ]

    n. 扫除 adj. 一扫而去的;凶猛的;广泛的

  • skepticism [考研]

    美[ˈskeptɪsɪzəm] | 英[ˈskeptɪsɪzəm]

    n. 怀疑论;怀疑态度;怀疑主义

  • powerless [考研]

    美[ˈpaʊərləs] | 英[ˈpaʊələs]

    adj. 无力的;无权的;无效能的

重点讲解

The question in the case, Chief Justice Roberts wrote, turned on the scope of the language of the Clean Air Act.

首席大法官罗伯茨写道,该案取决于《清洁空气法案》的措辞范围。

turn on   

1. 依靠;取决于

【例】Much turns on the outcome of the current peace talks. 

事情主要取决于当前和谈的结果。

2. 以……为主题

【例】The discussion turned on the need to raise standards. 

这次讨论的主要议题是提高标准的必要性。

3. 打开(电流、煤气、水等)

【例】to turn on the heating/TV  打开供热系统/电视

4. 对……开始感兴趣

【例】He turned Mia on to jazz. 

他使米娅对爵士乐产生了兴趣。

【搭配】turn sb on to sth  使某人对某物开始感兴趣

sweeping    adj.

1. 扫视的;拖曳的

【例】a sweeping glance/dress  扫视/拖地长裙

2. 影响广泛的;大范围的

【例】a sweeping arrest/reform  大范围搜捕/全面改革

3. 绝对的;势不可挡的

【例】The candidate failed to win the sweeping victory he expected.

候选人未能像他预期的那样大获全胜。

4. 过于笼统的;一概而论的

【例】Sweeping generalizations about this complex situation are not helpful.

对这个复杂局势进行过于笼统的概括是无益的。

Under it, he wrote, Congress had not clearly given the agency sweeping authority to regulate the energy industry.

他写道,根据该法案,国会没有明确授予该机构监管能源行业的广泛权力。

turn on   

1. 依靠;取决于

【例】Much turns on the outcome of the current peace talks. 

事情主要取决于当前和谈的结果。

2. 以……为主题

【例】The discussion turned on the need to raise standards. 

这次讨论的主要议题是提高标准的必要性。

3. 打开(电流、煤气、水等)

【例】to turn on the heating/TV  打开供热系统/电视

4. 对……开始感兴趣

【例】He turned Mia on to jazz. 

他使米娅对爵士乐产生了兴趣。

【搭配】turn sb on to sth  使某人对某物开始感兴趣

sweeping    adj.

1. 扫视的;拖曳的

【例】a sweeping glance/dress  扫视/拖地长裙

2. 影响广泛的;大范围的

【例】a sweeping arrest/reform  大范围搜捕/全面改革

3. 绝对的;势不可挡的

【例】The candidate failed to win the sweeping victory he expected.

候选人未能像他预期的那样大获全胜。

4. 过于笼统的;一概而论的

【例】Sweeping generalizations about this complex situation are not helpful.

对这个复杂局势进行过于笼统的概括是无益的。

"Capping**** carbon**** dioxide emissions at**** a level that**** will**** force a nationwide**** transition**** away**** from**** the use of**** coal**** to**** generate**** electricity may be**** a sensible**** solution to**** the crisis**** of**** the day,'"**** he**** wrote,**** quoting an**** earlier decision****.****

他援引早些时候的一项裁决写道:"将二氧化碳排放量限制在一定水平,迫使(发电厂)在全国范围内放弃使用煤炭发电,这可能是一种明智的‘解决当今危机的方案'。"

But, he added, "a decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body."

但是,他补充说,"如此重大和重要的决策应该由国会做出,或是由依据国会的明确授权而采取行动的机构做出。"

rest with   是……的责任

【例】The final decision rests with the doctors. 

要由医生做出最后决定。

pursuant to  依照,根据(规则或法律)

(英文释义:according to or following sth, especially a rule or law)

【例】The committee will issue a decision within 15 days pursuant to rule 182.

委员会将依据第182条法规,于15日内发布决议。

【拓展】according to/in accordance with  依照;依据

In dissent, Justice Kagan wrote that the court had substituted its own policy judgment for that of Congress.

大法官卡根对此表示异议,她写道,最高法院用自己的政策判断取代了国会的政策判断。

substitute    n. & v.

1. 作名词:代替物;代用品

【例】Guesswork is no substitute for investigation. 

主观臆断不能代替调查研究。

2. 作动词:代替;取代

【搭配】to substitute A for B/ substitute B with A   用A代替B

【例】to substitute honey for sugar/to substitute sugar with honey 用蜂蜜代替糖

not have a clue

【例】I don't have a clue where she lives. 

我完全不知道她住在哪里。

stake  n. & v.

1. 作名词

(1)利害关系;利益关系

【例】Many young people no longer feel they have a stake in society. 

很多年轻人不再觉得他们与社会休戚相关。

【辨析】stakeholder 参与人  vs   stockholder 股票持有人

(2)赌注;风险

【例】a high-stakes gamble/negotiation  赌注高的赌博/高风险的谈判

【搭配】be at stake  有风险;成败难料

【例】His own personal future was at stake. 他的个人前途很成问题.

2. 作动词:以……打赌;拿……冒险

【例】She staked her political career on tax reform, and lost. 

她把自己的政治前程押在税制改革上,结果赌输了。

"Whatever else this court may know about, it does not have a clue about how to address climate change," she wrote.

她写道:"无论最高法院对其他事情有多少了解,该机构对如何应对气候变化都是一无所知。"

substitute    n. & v.

1. 作名词:代替物;代用品

【例】Guesswork is no substitute for investigation. 

主观臆断不能代替调查研究。

2. 作动词:代替;取代

【搭配】to substitute A for B/ substitute B with A   用A代替B

【例】to substitute honey for sugar/to substitute sugar with honey 用蜂蜜代替糖

not have a clue

【例】I don't have a clue where she lives. 

我完全不知道她住在哪里。

stake  n. & v.

1. 作名词

(1)利害关系;利益关系

【例】Many young people no longer feel they have a stake in society. 

很多年轻人不再觉得他们与社会休戚相关。

【辨析】stakeholder 参与人  vs   stockholder 股票持有人

(2)赌注;风险

【例】a high-stakes gamble/negotiation  赌注高的赌博/高风险的谈判

【搭配】be at stake  有风险;成败难料

【例】His own personal future was at stake. 他的个人前途很成问题.

2. 作动词:以……打赌;拿……冒险

【例】She staked her political career on tax reform, and lost. 

她把自己的政治前程押在税制改革上,结果赌输了。

"And let's say the obvious: The stakes here are high. Yet the court today prevents congressionally authorized agency action to curb power plants' carbon dioxide emissions."

"让我们说一个显而易见的事实: 现在风险很高。 然而,今天最高法院阻止了国会授权的机构采取行动来限制发电厂二氧化碳的排放量。"

substitute    n. & v.

1. 作名词:代替物;代用品

【例】Guesswork is no substitute for investigation. 

主观臆断不能代替调查研究。

2. 作动词:代替;取代

【搭配】to substitute A for B/ substitute B with A   用A代替B

【例】to substitute honey for sugar/to substitute sugar with honey 用蜂蜜代替糖

not have a clue

【例】I don't have a clue where she lives. 

我完全不知道她住在哪里。

stake  n. & v.

1. 作名词

(1)利害关系;利益关系

【例】Many young people no longer feel they have a stake in society. 

很多年轻人不再觉得他们与社会休戚相关。

【辨析】stakeholder 参与人  vs   stockholder 股票持有人

(2)赌注;风险

【例】a high-stakes gamble/negotiation  赌注高的赌博/高风险的谈判

【搭配】be at stake  有风险;成败难料

【例】His own personal future was at stake. 他的个人前途很成问题.

2. 作动词:以……打赌;拿……冒险

【例】She staked her political career on tax reform, and lost. 

她把自己的政治前程押在税制改革上,结果赌输了。

"The court appoints itself -- instead of Congress or the expert agency -- the decision maker on climate policy," she wrote. "I cannot think of many things more frightening."

"最高法院将自己,而非国会或专门机构,任命为气候政策的决策者。"她写道,"我想不出还有什么能比这更可怕。"

curtail   v. 限制;缩短;缩减

【例】Spending on books has been severely curtailed. 

购书开支已被大大削减。

The ruling curtailed but did not eliminate the agency's ability to regulate the energy sector, and the agency may still use measures like emission controls at individual power plants. But the court ruled out more ambitious approaches, like a cap-and-trade system.

这项裁决对环保局监管能源行业的职能进行了限制,但没有废除,该机构可能仍会对个别发电厂使用控制排放等措施。但法院否决了更有野心的做法,比如总量管制与交易体系。

curtail   v. 限制;缩短;缩减

【例】Spending on books has been severely curtailed. 

购书开支已被大大削减。

It has also expressed skepticism toward the reach of other regulatory agencies, evident in recent decisions arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

法院对其他监管机构的权力范围也表示质疑,这从最近新冠病毒疫情引发的裁决中可见一斑。

reach   n. 涉及范围;影响范围

【例】The company has now overtaken IBM in terms of size and reach. 

在规模和影响范围上,这家公司已经超越了IBM。

【拓展】与reach相关的一些词组:

1. beyond the reach of   不在……范围内

【例】 Such matters are beyond the reach of the law. 

这样的事情不受法律的保护。

2. within/out of the reach of sb  在/不在某人能力范围内

【例】Victory is now within/out of her reach. 

胜利现在对于她来说触手可得/遥不可及。

The court has ruled, for instance, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was not authorized to impose a moratorium on evictions and that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was powerless to tell large employers to have their workers vaccinated or undergo frequent testing.

例如,最高法院裁定,疾病控制和预防中心无权暂缓驱逐命令,职业安全与健康管理局无权要求大型雇主为其员工接种疫苗或进行频繁的检测。

reach   n. 涉及范围;影响范围

【例】The company has now overtaken IBM in terms of size and reach. 

在规模和影响范围上,这家公司已经超越了IBM。

【拓展】与reach相关的一些词组:

1. beyond the reach of   不在……范围内

【例】 Such matters are beyond the reach of the law. 

这样的事情不受法律的保护。

2. within/out of the reach of sb  在/不在某人能力范围内

【例】Victory is now within/out of her reach. 

胜利现在对于她来说触手可得/遥不可及。

The question**** before**** the justices**** in**** the new case****,**** West**** Virginia**** v.**** Environmental Protection**** Agency****,**** No****.**** 20****-1530****,**** was whether the Clean Air Act allowed the E.P.A.**** to**** issue sweeping**** regulations across**** the power sector****.****

在这起编号为20-1530的西弗吉尼亚州诉环境保护局的新案件中,摆在法官面前的问题是,《清洁空气法案》是否允许环保局在电力行业发布全面的法规。

课后练习

  • What was Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion about the case?

    A. E.P.A. didn’t have the broad power to restrict carbon emissions.

    B. The issue of carbon emissions was beyond the scope of the Clean Air Act.

    C. It was sensible for E.P.A. to reduce the use of coal to generate electricity.

    D. The Congress should think twice before making consequential decisions.

  • According to Justice Kagan, the Supreme Court ____.

    A. should ask the Congress for its advice

    B. underestimated the impact of climate risks

    C. should let E.P.A. devise climate policy

    D. paid little attention to carbon emissions

  • What can be learned about the ruling?

    A. It forbade E.P.A. to regulate the energy sector.

    B. It allowed E.P.A. to curb emissions on a small scale.

    C. It ordered some power plants to reduce pollution.

    D. It approved of the cap-and-trade system.

  • The recent decisions arising from the pandemic show that ____.

    A. it is important to coordinate different administrative agencies

    B. health policies should adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic

    C. the Supreme Court doesn’t support broad regulatory powers

    D. government agencies have responsibility to enforcing regulatory rules