1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has sent gas prices up more than $1 per gallon in a month and diesel up $1.60. In the middle of this crisis, the Interior Department just announced it will pay TotalEnergies almost $1 billion of taxpayer money to abandon two large wind farms off the East Coast. This makes no sense. The administration claims offshore wind is expensive and unreliable, yet feels compelled to pay companies not to develop it. Courts have already overruled attempts to block offshore wind on national security grounds. Meanwhile, renewables now account for more than a third of electricity generation in Texas and have dominated growth in the state's power supply in recent years. Wind and solar are major energy sources, not fringe alternatives. Blocking renewable development while we face a global fossil fuel shortage means choosing higher prices and weaker energy security. Other countries are racing toward clean energy while we cede the future to them. Stop paying companies to kill wind projects. We need every energy source available, especially when hostile nations can choke off our oil supply overnight.