A recent Associated Press article (“Alaskan oil project adds yet another climate concern,” March 14) highlights an important factor in the struggle to limit greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels. Regardless of how much green renewable energy is introduced into the market, as long as fossil fuels are subsidized and underpriced, dependence on (aka “addiction to”) them will continue.

Let’s remind ourselves of the free-market economics of price and demand. Consumers and industry will favor renewables and rein in demand for fossil fuels if a surcharge is applied to fossil fuels. Such a charge should be based on the amount of CO2 the fuel will release if burned. Under a proposed national carbon cashback policy proposal, the carbon surcharge funds would be put in a “carbon trust” and distributed to all households in regular dividend checks.

As the report pointed out, we have used up our atmospheric carbon budget and cannot afford to tap it further. With these new plans for extraction in Alaska, our only hope is to drastically reduce demand. Contact your members of Congress on this matter.

Cynthia Stancioff
Chesterville

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