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.