Ross Donnelly: Profits first

I read in your Sept. 22 edition a letter from the American Energy Alliance (abundant ties and history with the petroleum industry) condemning the cost of renewable energy. No mention was made of the effect that burning fossil fuels has on the environment.

On the facing page, columnist Gwynne Dyer warned of the devastating effects that global warming will have on agriculture in the next 10 to 20 years. I have to assume that the petroleum industry has realized that denying the existence of global warming is a losing battle, but emphasizing short-term savings without considering long-term costs is a better tactic. The strategy remains the same: Attack competing forms of energy production in order to continue profits from fossil fuels regardless of the consequences.

Our legislature appears to be fully on board with this strategy, to judge from the recent budget choices.

This story was originally published October 4, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Ross Donnelly: Profits first."