To the Editor:

The U. S. Department of Energy has long supported research into ways to improve America’s energy efficiency and productivity. Recent news reports, however, indicate that the Trump Administration plans to cut or eliminate budgets for many programs in the Department of Energy (DOE).

Past research supported by the DOE has led to many new jobs in renewable energy as well as helping to address the current climate crisis. I just learned from a Jan. 25 article in Forbes that, despite billions of dollars each year being spent to support the fossil fuel industry, U.S. solar energy already employs more people than oil, coal and gas combined.

This means that the best way to put more Americans to work and improve our economy is to eliminate federal government support for fossil fuel companies and instead support DOE renewable energy research. A side benefit would be that we’d reduce the worst effects of the climate crisis.

Write to Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Ron Johnson, and U.S. Rep. Ron Kind and ask them to benefit our economy and reduce carbon pollution by increasing DOE funding for renewable energy research.

Marcia Parker

Stevens Point