industry had thrived for nearly two centuries, not just on the strength of its product but on the largess of taxpayers. Operators drilled on federal lands leased for cheap. Massive subsidies supported their balance sheets like pylons. Thousands of tax loopholes guaranteed they needn’t contribute to the system they profited from. Meanwhile, their lobbyists ensured that such benefits were protected but prevented their extension to competing energy sources, slowing commercialization and adoption of renewables.
