Water polluters face stiff penalties

时间：2007-08-27 06:47:12

（单词翻译:单击）

Aug. 27 - Limits will be lifted on fines for firms that dump waste into water, according to a legislative1 amendment2 unveiled Sunday.

 

The current cap on fines for water polluters is 1 million yuan ($131,000) besides administrative3 and legal penalties - which is not considered deterrent4 enough.

 

The draft amendment to the water pollution prevention and control law proposed fines that range from 20 percent to 30 percent of direct economic loss caused by polluters.

 

The draft was submitted yesterday for review to the Standing5 Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature.

 

"The amendment will end the anomaly - high cost for those who comply with the law and light penalties for violators," said Zhou Shengxian, minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), while explaining the draft to lawmakers.

 

People involved in major water pollution accidents also face prosecution6, according to the draft law.

 

The proposed amendment to the law, which came into effect in 1996, has a number of provisions to tackle increasingly serious water pollution, according to Zhou:

 

Governments are responsible for controlling the total amount of major water pollution discharges; and administrations above the county level have to closely watch pollution emissions7 from industrial, farming and other sectors8.

 

To control the total amount of pollutant9 emissions, authorities will devise a license10 system for emitters of wastewater containing toxic11 or radioactive materials. Without the license, enterprises will be banned from discharging pollutants12 into water.

 

There is added emphasis on the protection of drinking water sources.

 

The emergency response capability13 for dealing14 with water pollution accidents will be strengthened.

 

The minister said an amendment is urgently needed as water pollution is getting increasingly worse.

 

According to SEPA data, of the 1,406 environmental accidents reported in 2005, water pollution accidents accounted for nearly half.

 

Also, groundwater in more than half of Chinese cities is polluted, and drinking water supply for over 300 million people in rural areas is threatened, according to SEPA figures. The ecological15 systems of major rives, such as Huaihe, Liaohe and Haihe, have been severely16 damaged.

 

Zhang Jianyu, a visiting scholar at Tsinghua University, said it is not easy to calculate losses from an environmental accident, which may hinder the implementation17 of the amended18 law.

 

In addition, not all environmental pollution results in an accident, which makes meting19 out a fine difficult.

 

He called for a simple and effective measure, such as working out a cumulative20 daily penalty system without caps.

 
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1 legislative K9hzG     
n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的
参考例句：
  • Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
  • Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
2 amendment Mx8zY     
n.改正，修正，改善，修正案
参考例句：
  • The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
  • The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。
3 administrative fzDzkc     
adj.行政的，管理的
参考例句：
  • The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
  • He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。
4 deterrent OmJzY     
n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的
参考例句：
  • Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
  • I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。
5 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
6 prosecution uBWyL     
n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营
参考例句：
  • The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
  • He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。
7 emissions 1a87f8769eb755734e056efecb5e2da9     
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。
8 sectors 218ffb34fa5fb6bc1691e90cd45ad627     
n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形
参考例句：
  • Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 pollutant N1Zzy     
n.污染物质，散布污染物质者
参考例句：
  • Coal itself is a heavy pollutant.煤本身就是一种严重的污染物。
  • Carbon dioxide may not be a typical air pollutant.二氧化碳可能不是一种典型的污染物。
10 license B9TzU     
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
  • The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
  • The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。
11 toxic inSwc     
adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的
参考例句：
  • The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
  • There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。
12 pollutants 694861490fe64672170a0da250a277c7     
污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
  • The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
13 capability JsGzZ     
n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等
参考例句：
  • She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
  • Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。
14 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
15 ecological IrRxX     
adj.生态的，生态学的
参考例句：
  • The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
  • Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.
16 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
17 implementation 2awxV     
n.实施，贯彻
参考例句：
  • Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。
18 Amended b2abcd9d0c12afefe22fd275996593e0     
adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
  • He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。
19 meting eeeaa4c92e1112f32e8aa90d1c9b204b     
v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • The manager was strict and fair in meting out rewards and punishments. 经理赏罚严明。 来自互联网
  • Doris Crockford. Mr. Potter. I can't believe I'm meting you at last. 我叫桃瑞丝。韦斯莱。波特先生。我真不敢相信，总算见到您了。 来自互联网
20 cumulative LyYxo     
adj.累积的，渐增的
参考例句：
  • This drug has a cumulative effect.这种药有渐增的效力。
  • The benefits from eating fish are cumulative.吃鱼的好处要长期才能显现。

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