Cherise M. Gaffney
Experience
Cherise Gaffney is a partner in the Environment, Land Use and Natural Resources
practice group. She advises clients on federal natural resources law in complex
permitting and compliance matters. Cherise has extensive experience on issues arising
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA),
Federal Power Act (FPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Representative clients include developers and
owners of hydropower dams, liquid natural gas (LNG) facilities, oil and gas facilities,
and wave and tidal energy projects. She formerly worked in the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's Office of General Counsel representing the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on endangered salmon, hydropower dam and forestry
issues in California.
Partner
Representative Permitting and Compliance Work

Led successful permitting effort for natural gas development platform and
pipeline in Cook Inlet including ESA compliance and Clean Water Act (CWA)
approvals.

Advise Native Alaska regional corporation on State of Alaska's development of a
proposed new 600 MW dam on the Susitna River on its lands and the lands of its
Village Corporations.

Advise California solar energy developer on endangered kit fox issues including
negotiation of settlement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and associated
habitat mitigation proposal

Advise developer of nation's first wave energy test facility on licensing, federal
Seattle, WA
(206) 386-7622 direct
(206) 386-7500 fax
cherise.gaffney@stoel.com
Education

Law & Marine Affairs, University of
Washington School of Law, LL.M., 1998

American University, Washington
College of Law, J.D., 1997

University of Washington, B.A., 1993
leasing and permitting issues including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) siting approvals.



Washington
compliance strategy related to proposed construction and operation of LNG

Alaska
terminal in the Pacific Northwest.

U.S. District Court for the Western
District of Washington
Advised liquid natural gas (LNG) company in ESA section 7 consultation and MMPA
Advised Alaska business association comprised of oil and gas, mining, forestry and
other interests on Cook Inlet beluga whale ESA listing and critical habitat
designation issues.

Advised commercial fishing association on ongoing ESA and MMPA compliance
issues critical to fishing activities in Hawaii and on the high seas.

Admissions
Advised wave energy developer on strategic permitting issues for wave energy
project on Oregon coast, including federal licensing, ESA and MMPA permitting,
Cherise M. Gaffney
and coastal zone issues; negotiated and drafted agreement with federal, state and non-governmental stakeholders resolving all
issues for 35 year license term.

For two oil and gas clients, obtained changes to final Southern Resident killer whale vessel regulations to protect existing Puget
Sound oil and gas tanker, barge, tug and service vessel operations.

Negotiated and drafted settlement agreements with key federal, state, tribal, local and non-governmental parties for
relicensing five large hydroelectric projects in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana for up to 50 years. Agreements resolved
issues ranging from fish passage, water quality and ESA issues to recreation, cultural resources and flood control.

Advised various public and private entities on ESA compliance strategies, including wind energy developer on Indiana bat
consultation issues; port on killer whale issues related to relocation of cruise ship operations; pulp and paper mill in
development of ESA strategy for discharge permit; Oregon irrigation districts in development of habitat conservation plan (HCP)
related to reintroduction of ESA-listed salmon; and housing developer in preparation of HCP for listed butterflies.

At NOAA, represented NOAA Fisheries Service in ESA section 7 consultations with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Reclamation; negotiated and drafted ESA HCPs
for state's fishing program, irrigation district's water diversion, and forest product company's timber management plan.
Professional Honors and Activities

Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (currently: Energy Regulatory Law, Environmental Law), 2013-2016

Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Washington) by Chambers USA (currently: Environment), 2014-2015

Board Member, National Hydropower Association (NHA), 2010-2014; Vice President, 2012-2013; Chair, Legislative Affairs
Committee, 2011-2012; Chair, Regulatory Affairs Committee, 2010-2011; Advisory Board Member, 2009-2010; Chair, Ocean,
Tidal & New Technologies Council, 2008-2010

Board Member, Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition, 2007-2013

Panel Member, DOE Waterpower Program Peer Review Panel, 2009, 2011

Chair, ABA Endangered Species Committee, 2004-2006; Vice Chair, 2001-2004

Board Member, EarthShare Washington, 2012-2014

Recipient, "Women with Hydro Vision" Award, HydroVision International Conference, 2015

Seattle Mentor of the Year, Stoel Rives LLP, 2015

Seattle Mentor of the Year, Stoel Rives LLP, 2011

Recipient, PacifiCorp "Exceptional Leadership, Creativity and Dedication" Award in the Lewis River hydropower projects
settlement process, 2004

Recipient, Interagency Task Force to Improve Hydroelectric Licensing Process "Exceptional Performance and Dedication" Award
in interagency effort involving the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Commerce, Energy and Agriculture and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000
Cherise M. Gaffney
Select Presentations

"Strategies for Permitting Large Projects in Alaska," Permitting Strategies in Alaska, The Seminar Group, Anchorage, 2016

"Endangered Species Act Permitting Basics: Section 7 Consultations,” Permitting Strategies CLE, Seattle, 2015

"Regulatory Policy: A Focus on Emerging ESA Issues,” NHA Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., 2015 (moderator)

“Environmental Questions: Asked and Answered,” Ocean Renewable Energy Conference, Portland, 2014

"Accelerating the Decision Making Process for MHK Facilities," GMREC, Washington, D.C., 2011

"Working Toward Successful ESA Outcomes," NHA Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., 2011 (moderator)

"ESA and NEPA Developments: Impacts on Natural Resource Development in Alaska," Alaska Oil & Gas Congress, Anchorage, 2010

"The Water-Energy Nexus: Licensing Non-Federal Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Projects," 17th Annual Western Water Law
Conference, Seattle, 2010

"Overcoming Barriers and Offering Incentives: Ocean Energy's Infrastructure, Regulatory and Financing Needs," Capitol Hill
Ocean Week, Washington, D.C., 2010

"Adaptive Management Case Studies," NOAA and Coastal States Organization's Marine and Coastal Renewable Energy Adaptive
Management Workshop, Washington, D.C., 2009

"The Endangered Species Act: Should Alaska's Natural Resource Economy Be Listed as Endangered?," Resource Development
Council's 29th Annual Conference, Anchorage, 2008

"New Technologies: Fish and Wildlife Permitting Issues," NWHA Annual Conference, Portland, 2008

"The Endangered Species Act's Section 7 Consultation Requirement: A Refresher on the Latest Best Practices," Land Use in
Washington CLE, Seattle, 2007

"Species Protection: Resolving Today's Top Issues," NHA Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., 2007 (moderator)
Publications

"MHK Siting and Permitting: Working Toward Commercialization with Federal and State Agencies," Marine Technology, July 2013

"Using Adaptive Management to Resolve Uncertainties for Wave and Tidal Energy Projects," Oceanography, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2010

"Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning for Offshore Renewable Energy Development on the West Coast," Environmental & Land Use
Law Newsletter, May 2010

"Siting Ocean and Tidal Energy Projects," WSBA Environmental & Land Use Law Newsletter, Vol. 36, No. 2, 2009

"Siting Ocean and Tidal Energy Projects," Bloomberg Law Reports: Sustainable Energy, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2008

"ESA Update: A Review of 2005," The Water Report, 2005