Energy conference speakers blast regulations
William Yeatman, an energy policy analyst for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said he opposes regulation that serves no public health benefit and only gratifies a political constituency. Regional haze, he said, is a simply an aesthetic issue related to visibility and not harmful pollution from coal-fired power plants.
AEP-PSO American Electric Power-Public Service Company of Oklahoma plans to phase out its last two coal units at its complex in Oologah by 2026.
"Regional haze (regulations) is the reason you're facing a rate increase of 20 percent," Yeatman said.