環保組織威脅起訴美國環保局

Green groups are threatening to sue the US environmental regulator, alleging it is failing in its duty to tackle a surge in Earthquakes that they blame on the American shale revolution.

環保組織正威脅要起訴美國環境監管部門，指控該機構未能盡到責任對付他們所稱的美國頁岩革命造成地震數量大幅增多的問題。

The groups said yesterday that they were preparing a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for not curbing the disposal of waste water by oil companies, a practice that scientists say has triggered a rise in seismic activity.

這些環保組織昨日表示，它們正準備起訴美國環境保護局(Environmental Protection Agency)未能限制石油公司的廢水處理方式，科學家表示，這種做法導致地震活動增加。

Earthquakes linked to oil and gas production have unnerved residents in Oklahoma and Texas and become an unexpectedly pressing problem for the US fracking boom. Two oil producers are already being sued by a woman injured in a 2011 Oklahoma quake.

與油氣生產相關的地震令俄克拉荷馬州和德克薩斯州的居民感到恐慌，已意外地成爲美國水力壓裂熱潮面臨的一個緊迫問題。一名在2011年俄克拉荷馬州地震中受傷的女性已在起訴兩家石油生產商。

The groups threatening to sue the EPA, their usual ally, say the agency has a legal obligation to update rules on the disposal of waste water from oil production, which are unchanged since 1988.

這些環保組織威脅將起訴它們通常的盟友美國環保局，他們表示，美國環保局有法律義務修改有關石油生產廢水處理的規則，自1988年以來，這些規則就沒有變過。

“We think EPA’s failure to act is particularly egregious in light of the shale boom and the vast amount of waste it has generated,” said Adam Kron, a lawyer at the Environmental Integrity Project, which is part of the coalition. “We’re flying blind here. We need to have some rules in place.”

“我們認爲，鑑於頁岩熱潮及其產生的大量廢水，美國環保局未能採取措施尤爲令人震驚，”環保組織——環境保全項目(Environmental Integrity Project)的律師亞當克龍(Adam Kron)表示，“我們正處於無法可依的狀態。我們需要有一些規則。”

The oil and gas industry is trying to fend off regulations that would require it to overhaul its practices or spend more money, as it buckles under the strain of sub-$40 a barrel US crude.

油氣行業正試圖抵制要求該行業大幅改變做法或增加支出的監管規定，該行業正艱難應對美國油價低於每桶40美元的壓力。

“Anything that raises costs right now is a problem,” said Kim Hatfield, president of Crawley Petroleum and an officer of the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association.

Crawley石油公司總裁、俄克拉荷馬州獨立石油協會(Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association)官員基姆哈特菲爾德(Kim Hatfield)表示：“眼下，任何加大成本的事情都是問題。”

The quakes are not caused by fracking, the widespread process that involves blasting water and chemicals underground at high pressure to shatter the shale rock. The US Geological Survey has instead pointed the finger at the way companies handle unwanted water released as a byproduct of fracking. This water is pumped into separate subterranean wells where, scientists say, it can reactivate formerly stable faults.

地震並非是由水力壓裂操作引起的，這一普遍工藝涉及以高壓向地下大量注入水和化學物質，以裂解頁岩。相反，美國地質調查局(US Geological Survey)指責企業對水力壓裂的副產品——廢水的處理方式。科學家表示，這些廢水被注入另外的地下井，可能令之前穩定的斷層重新活躍起來。

The industry says the cause of tremors has not been settled. David Lawler, chief executive of BP’s business in the continental US, said: “At the moment it’s inconclusive.”

油氣行業表示，有關輕度地震的原因並不確定。英國石油(BP)美國大陸業務首席執行官大衛勞勒(David Lawler)表示：“目前尚無定論。”

The EPA would not comment on the lawsuit threat but said existing rules covered seismic matters and that it would continue to work with states to address potential concerns.

美國環保局不願對訴訟威脅置評，但表示，現有規定涵蓋地震問題，將繼續與各州合作，應對潛在擔憂。