Oil industry’s flawed energy ‘study’

To the editor:

Your recent online edition offered a link to a story called “Study: Energy bills could cut N.H. jobs.” I followed the link and read a story about the possible loss of jobs as a result of the current energy bill. But the context could have been captured much earlier in the piece. Readers were regaled with paragraph after paragraph of the tragedies that await New England if the current energy bill were to be passed by Congress. (It was.)

The bill, while not perfect, begins to address some issues that have been dormant for years, issues such as mileage standards for automobiles, and more activity on the renewable energy front and less handouts to the oil and gas folks. The article was based on a study from a consulting firm who predicted dire consequences for New England if the bill is passed. It wasn’t until the final paragraphs that it was revealed that the “study” was paid for by the American Petroleum Institute. Some things never change!

Ted Leach, Hancock
Board Member, Republicans
for Environmental Protection