Related Practices

Admitted to Practice

Washington, 1979
U.S. Supreme Court

Craig Gannett

Partner

Co-chair, Energy and Environmental Practice

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Seattle

T206.757.8048

F206.757.7048

M206.605.3638

Craig Gannett focuses his practice in the fields of electric utility regulation, renewable energy development, and climate change-related regulation. He advises clients on a broad range of regulatory matters, including those relating to hydroelectric dams, wholesale electricity transactions, transmission lines, the creation and trading of renewable energy credits, and the impacts of potential changes to the Columbia River Treaty. As a former Senior Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, he advises with respect to the Federal Power Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act, as well as EPA climate change regulations under the Clean Air Act. Craig also teaches Climate Change Law at the University of Washington School of Law, and is a Vice-President of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.

Craig is a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Practice Highlights

Handles relicensing of hydropower facilities by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), including negotiations with federal and state natural resource agencies under the Federal Power Act and Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Advises on federal, regional and state regulatory developments regarding climate change and renewable portfolio standards, particularly pending federal cap and trade legislation, the Western Climate Initiative and legislation enacted in Washington state.
Provides counsel with respect to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) regulatory requirements for a wide range of energy-related projects, including biomass facilities, energy efficiency programs, broadband fiber optic cable deployments, and smart grid. Also advises regarding the Buy American and reporting requirements of the ARRA.
Advises on electric utility regulatory matters, including siting, transmission upgrades, regional transmission organizations, interconnection of new generation and related matters.
Represents clients before the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) regarding energy, telecommunications, solid waste and water utility matters.

Representative Experience

Energy/transactional for Microsoft

Counsel to Microsoft in drafting and negotiating a facilities upgrade agreement regarding a major data center. (2013)

Energy/transactional for Swedish Medical Center

Counsel to major Seattle hospital in drafting long-term steam purchase agreement. (2013)

Energy/Transactional for Chelan County PUD

Counsel to public utility district in drafting and negotiating of large, multi-year, real-time power scheduling and marketing agreement with Powerex. (2012)

Litigation for Calpine and TransAlta

Represented Calpine and TransAlta in 2012 Rate Adjustment Proceeding of the Bonneville Power Administration, regarding implementation of BPA's Dispatchable Energy Resource Balancing Service (DERBS). (2011)

Regulatory - hydroelectric for Avista

Counsel for hydroelectric licensee in appeal of a Section 401 certification to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board. Negotiation of a comprehensive, five-party settlement agreement led to dismissal of the appeal and issuance of a favorable Section 401 certification. (2009)

Regulatory - hydroelectric for Chelan County PUD

Counsel for public utility district in negotiation of a multi-party settlement agreement leading to the issuance by FERC of a 43-year license for the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project. (2009)

Litigation for Avista

Counsel for hydroelectric licensee in Avista v. U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (trial before a Department of the Interior Administrative Law Judge under Section 241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, holding that many factual assertions by Interior in hydroelectric relicensing proceeding were unfounded). (Dept. of the Interior Admin. Law Judge 2007)

Regulatory - hydroelectric for Chelan County PUD

Counsel for public utility district in negotiation of a multi-party settlement agreement leading to the issuance by FERC of a 50-year license for the Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project. (2006)

Litigation for Chelan County PUD

Counsel for hydroelectric licensee in Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation v. Ecology (trial before the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board, holding that Section 401 of the Clean Water Act does not require strict adherence with numeric water quality criteria). (2004)

Additional Qualifications

Lecturer, "Climate Change Law," University of Washington School of Law, Spring Quarter, 2013
Lecturer, "Climate Change Law," University of Washington School of Law, Spring Quarter, 2012
Lecturer, "U.S. Energy Policy," Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, Spring Quarter, 2011
Lecturer, "Climate Change Law and Policy," University of Washington School of Law, Winter Quarter, 2010
Lecturer, "Climate Change: Realities and Options for U.S. Policy," Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, Winter Quarter, 2008
Lecturer and Task Force Evaluator, "The Geopolitics of Global Warming: U.S. Policy Options," Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, Winter Quarter, 2007
General Counsel, Northwest Hydroelectric Association, 1997-2007
Mayor of Seattle's Advisory Committee on Seattle City Light, 2002
Senior Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, responsible for overseeing the electric utility industry and the federal Power Marketing Administrations, including the Bonneville Power Administration, 1993-1995
Law Clerk, Hon. Barbara J. Rothstein, U.S. District Court

Professional & Community Activities

Vice President, Henry M. Jackson Foundation
Chair, Advisory Board, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington
Member, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources; Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law – American Bar Association
Member, Committee on Renewable Energy; Committee on State Commission Practice and Regulation; Committee on Electricity Regulation – Energy Bar Association
General Counsel, Washington State Public Affairs TV Network (TVW)

Professional Recognition

Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Public Utility Law by Best Lawyers, 2001-2005; named in Energy Law, 2006-present
Awarded "2013 Top Rated Lawyer" in Energy, Environmental, & Natural Resources by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell