Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

　　The withdrawal of Nevadas Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository1 has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan2 geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University3 nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

　　The main goal, should be to provide the Unied States with multiple process that requires acceptance by host communities and states, the authors write.

　　Ewing and yon Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress4 in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved5 after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the sites geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agencys standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

　　Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nations northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

　　This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel6 and high-level nuclear waste7 from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types8, said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

　　詞匯：

　　radioactive adj.放射性的 shelve v.擱置 repository n.儲藏地，儲藏室 controversial adj.有爭議的

　　geologist n.地質學家 reactor n.反應堆，反應器 geological adj.地質的

　　注釋：

　　1. The withdrawal of Nevadas Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevadas Yucca Mountain：美國境內的內華達州尤卡山。nuclear waste repository：核廢物處理庫。美國能源部部長朱棣文 2009 年 3 月 5 日表示，擬在內華 達州尤卡山建設的核廢物最終處理庫將不再是美國儲存高放廢物的一個選項。

　　2. University of Michigan：美國密歇根大學，建于 1817 年。

　　3. Princeton University：美國普林斯頓大學，建于 1746 年。

　　4. Congress: 美國國會，美國最高立法機關，由參議院和眾議院組成。

　　5. was shelved：......被束之高閣。

　　6. spent nuclear fuel：也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般譯為乏核燃料。

　　7. high-level nuclear waste：高放核廢物。

　　8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types：各種不同巖層中的地質處置 庫。geological repositories 指的是地表以下 300～1500 米的穩定的地質體中建造的 用于最終處置高放廢物和乏核燃料的工程設施。處置庫是一個多重屏障系統，工程屏障 由廢物體、廢物罐、外包裝和緩沖回填材料組成，而天然屏障則是能有效阻滯放射性核 素遷移的地質體，包括花崗巖、粘土巖、凝灰巖和巖鹽等。許多專家認為地質處置是安 全的，技術上是可行的，對環境是無害的。

　　練習：

　　1. Which of the following words can best substitute the word withdrawal in the first paragraph?

　　A Retirement. B Canceling. C Replaced. D Disposal.

　　2. According to Rodney Ewing and Frand von Hippel, where to locate nuclear facilities

　　A should be approved by the federal government.

　　B should be approved by local people and states. C should be approved by Congress.

　　D is not an important issue.

　　3. What is NOT true about the 1987 decision by Congress concerning siting of nuclear waste disposal?

　　A Yucca Mountain was selected as the only site for a nuclear waste repository.

　　B The selection of Yucca Mountain for nuclear waste disposal caused much controversy.

　　C The decision by Congress was put aside due to a number of problems. D The decision by Congress was accepted by local communities.

　　4. What does the author of the essay in the fourth paragraph want to say?

　　A Efforts should be made to solve the problems of transportation of nuclear waste over long distance.

　　B Efforts should be made to develop as many nuclear disposal sites in the US as possible.

　　C Efforts should be made to develop nuclear disposal sites to suit the circumstances of the region.

　　D Efforts should be made to build up temporary nuclear disposal sites as possible.

　　5. What is meant by regional approach as mentioned in the last paragraph?

　　A Waste disposal sites are located close to reactors and in places suitable for the regional circumstances.

　　B Geological repositories are located in a variety of rock types.

　　C Spent nuclear fuel and high level nuclear waste is moved to developing countries.

　　D Waste disposal sites are located far away from reactors.

　　答案與題解：

　　1. B withdrawal 是個多義詞，在句子中的意思是撤銷或中止。

　　2. B 第二段中提到的兩個科學家認為，聯邦政府可以設定核設備的標準，以及頒發許可 證，但是州政府或地方政府在選址問題上應該有最終決定權。

　　3. D 第三段的第一個句子包含了 A、B 和 C 所述內容。

　　4. C 盡管第四段提到了尤卡山的確存在長距離運送核廢料的問題，但不是這段的主要內 容，所以 A 不是正確選擇。作者說，要在全國東西南北各地區建造核廢料處置庫，但沒 有說要盡量多的建造，所以 B 也不是正確選擇。作者想表達的意思是，要在全國各地區 建造核廢料處置庫，但州政府必須根據地方特殊情況制定方案，包括最后一句中所說的 靠近核反應堆的臨時處置庫。所以，C 是正確的。D 也不是作者的意思。

　　5. A This regional approach 的意思是：地域性方法，指的是前一段中所表述的內容， 即，地方政府應當考慮當地的特殊環境，對核廢物的處置地選擇負責。B、C 和 D 的表述 內容都是錯誤理解。

　　Experts Call for Local and Regional Control of Sites for Radioactive Waste

　　The withdrawal of Nevadas Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository1 has reopened the debate over how and where to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste. In an article in the July 10 issue of Science, University of Michigan2 geologist Rodney Ewing and Princeton University3 nuclear physicist Frank von Hippel argue that, although federal agencies should set standards and issue licenses for the approval of nuclear facilities, local communities and states should have the final approval on the siting of these facilities. The authors propose the development of multiple sites that would service the regions where nuclear reactors are located.

　　The main goal, should be to provide the Unied States with multiple process that requires acceptance by host communities and states, the authors write.

　　Ewing and yon Hippel also analyze the reasons why Yucca Mountain, selected by Congress4 in 1987 as the only site to be investigated for long-term nuclear waste disposal, finally was shelved5 after more than three decades of often controversial debate. The reasons include the sites geological problems, management problems, important changes in the Environmental Protection Agencys standard, unreliable funding and the failure to involve local communities in the decision-making process.

　　Going forward, efforts should be directed at locating storage facilities in the nations northeastern, southeastern, midwestern and western regions, and states within a given region should be responsible for developing solutions that suit their particular circumstances. Transportation of nuclear waste over long distances, which was a concern with the Yucca Mountain site, would be less of a problem because temporary storage or geological disposal sites could be located closer to reactors.

　　This regional approach would be similar to the current approach in Europe, where spent nuclear fuel6 and high-level nuclear waste7 from about 150 reactors and reprocessing plants is to be moved to a number of geological repositories in a variety of rock types8, said Rodney Ewing, who has written extensively about the impact of nuclear waste management on the environment and who has analyzed safety assessment criteria for the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.

　　詞匯：

　　radioactive adj.放射性的 shelve v.擱置 repository n.儲藏地，儲藏室 controversial adj.有爭議的

　　geologist n.地質學家 reactor n.反應堆，反應器 geological adj.地質的

　　注釋：

　　1. The withdrawal of Nevadas Yucca Mountain as a potential nuclear waste repository: Nevadas Yucca Mountain：美國境內的內華達州尤卡山。nuclear waste repository：核廢物處理庫。美國能源部部長朱棣文 2009 年 3 月 5 日表示，擬在內華 達州尤卡山建設的核廢物最終處理庫將不再是美國儲存高放廢物的一個選項。

　　2. University of Michigan：美國密歇根大學，建于 1817 年。

　　3. Princeton University：美國普林斯頓大學，建于 1746 年。

　　4. Congress: 美國國會，美國最高立法機關，由參議院和眾議院組成。

　　5. was shelved：......被束之高閣。

　　6. spent nuclear fuel：也叫做 used nuclear fuel，一般譯為乏核燃料。

　　7. high-level nuclear waste：高放核廢物。

　　8. geological repositories in a variety of rock types：各種不同巖層中的地質處置 庫。geological repositories 指的是地表以下 300～1500 米的穩定的地質體中建造的 用于最終處置高放廢物和乏核燃料的工程設施。處置庫是一個多重屏障系統，工程屏障 由廢物體、廢物罐、外包裝和緩沖回填材料組成，而天然屏障則是能有效阻滯放射性核 素遷移的地質體，包括花崗巖、粘土巖、凝灰巖和巖鹽等。許多專家認為地質處置是安 全的，技術上是可行的，對環境是無害的。

　　練習：

　　1. Which of the following words can best substitute the word withdrawal in the first paragraph?

　　A Retirement. B Canceling. C Replaced. D Disposal.

　　2. According to Rodney Ewing and Frand von Hippel, where to locate nuclear facilities

　　A should be approved by the federal government.

　　B should be approved by local people and states. C should be approved by Congress.

　　D is not an important issue.

　　3. What is NOT true about the 1987 decision by Congress concerning siting of nuclear waste disposal?

　　A Yucca Mountain was selected as the only site for a nuclear waste repository.

　　B The selection of Yucca Mountain for nuclear waste disposal caused much controversy.

　　C The decision by Congress was put aside due to a number of problems. D The decision by Congress was accepted by local communities.

　　4. What does the author of the essay in the fourth paragraph want to say?

　　A Efforts should be made to solve the problems of transportation of nuclear waste over long distance.

　　B Efforts should be made to develop as many nuclear disposal sites in the US as possible.

　　C Efforts should be made to develop nuclear disposal sites to suit the circumstances of the region.

　　D Efforts should be made to build up temporary nuclear disposal sites as possible.

　　5. What is meant by regional approach as mentioned in the last paragraph?

　　A Waste disposal sites are located close to reactors and in places suitable for the regional circumstances.

　　B Geological repositories are located in a variety of rock types.

　　C Spent nuclear fuel and high level nuclear waste is moved to developing countries.

　　D Waste disposal sites are located far away from reactors.

　　答案與題解：

　　1. B withdrawal 是個多義詞，在句子中的意思是撤銷或中止。

　　2. B 第二段中提到的兩個科學家認為，聯邦政府可以設定核設備的標準，以及頒發許可 證，但是州政府或地方政府在選址問題上應該有最終決定權。

　　3. D 第三段的第一個句子包含了 A、B 和 C 所述內容。

　　4. C 盡管第四段提到了尤卡山的確存在長距離運送核廢料的問題，但不是這段的主要內 容，所以 A 不是正確選擇。作者說，要在全國東西南北各地區建造核廢料處置庫，但沒 有說要盡量多的建造，所以 B 也不是正確選擇。作者想表達的意思是，要在全國各地區 建造核廢料處置庫，但州政府必須根據地方特殊情況制定方案，包括最后一句中所說的 靠近核反應堆的臨時處置庫。所以，C 是正確的。D 也不是作者的意思。

　　5. A This regional approach 的意思是：地域性方法，指的是前一段中所表述的內容， 即，地方政府應當考慮當地的特殊環境，對核廢物的處置地選擇負責。B、C 和 D 的表述 內容都是錯誤理解。