text: Renewable energy is both more expensive than and as damaging to the environment as energy produced from natural gas or coal, says Jerry Taylor of the Cato Institute. Writing in the Washington Times (Aug. 4), he points out that the usual argument that traditional energy fuels are unfairly subsidized has been judged groundless by the General Accounting Office. The GAO said fossil fuel subsidies are "too small to have a significant effect on the overall level of energy prices and consumption in the United States."