Stacie B. Fletcher is a litigation partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is co-chair of the Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort Practice Group. Stacie has handled a wide variety of cases under federal and state environmental statutes, including serving as lead counsel on numerous high-profile enforcement defense matters with U.S. EPA and state agencies.

Stacie has been recognized by Chambers USA as a leading environmental lawyer in the District of Columbia each year since 2021. According to Chambers USA, clients note that Stacie is “[h]ighly skilled in federal and state environmental enforcement matters,” “has a tremendous grasp of environmental issues and she is dialed in on what is going on at the agencies,” and is “thorough, extraordinarily attentive to detail and great at managing relationships with parties on both sides of a matter.”

Stacie is recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the area of Environmental Litigation by The Legal 500 US 2022 and in 2023. She also is named by Lawdragon among the Leaders in Environmental Law for 2021 and 2023. In 2018 and 2019, Stacie was recognized as a Euromoney LMG “Rising Star” in the area of Environmental Law. From 2017 to 2021, she was recognized by The Legal 500 US as an up-and-coming “next generation” lawyer in the area of Environmental Litigation and, from 2014 until 2017, as a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Environmental Litigation for the Washington D.C. area. Stacie sits on Law360’s 2023 Environmental Editorial Advisory Board.

Representative engagements include:

• Defended upstream oil and gas company in an enforcement action by the United States and the State of New Mexico relating to emissions from the company’s production facilities. The resulting consent decree resolving the case contained one of the first Supplemental Environmental Projects approved by US DOJ and EPA since the policy was reintroduced under the Biden Administration. The vast majority of money committed under the consent decree went directly to improved operations and projects that benefitted the environment and local communities through reduced emissions. United States & New Mexico Environment Department Matador Production Company (D.N.M. 2023).
• Represented oil and gas company in enforcement action by the United States alleging violations by the company’s predecessor at a refinery in California. The resulting settlement and modification of an earlier consent decree allowed the company to transform its refinery into a renewable fuels plant. United States v., et al v. Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company, L.L.C. (W.D. Tex. 2023).
• Secured dismissal with prejudice of local jurisdiction’s tampering claims against Mercedes-Benz and Daimler. This case involved novel issues surrounding the application of state and local anti-tampering laws, including the preemption of those laws and post-sale actions they may apply to. Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County v. Mercedes Benz USA, LLC, et. al. (M.D. Fla. 2022).
• Represented Mercedes-Benz and Daimler in an investigation relating to compliance with Clean Air Act requirements governing emissions after-treatment and in related settlement of civil claims with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Attorney General, the California Air Resources Board, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. United States v. Daimler AG et al., No. 02564 (D.D.C. 2020) & California v. Daimler AG, No. 02565 (D.D.C. 2020).
• Obtained summary judgment for a pulp and paper manufacturer in a series of lawsuits alleging that air emissions from the client’s facilities have caused personal injuries and property damage. International Paper v. Brantley, 09-cv-230, 2017 WL 2292767 (M.D. Ala. May 24, 2017). In 2018, Euromoney LMG recognized this victory as a “Matter of the Year.”
• Successfully prosecuted a $250 million CERCLA cost recovery action against the United States represented by the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. During a two-week bench trial in federal district court, Stacie cross-examined key government experts and directed examination for a critical fact witness on the government’s affirmative defenses. The court entered declaratory judgment requiring defendant United States to pay 29% of the client’s future remediation costs. Lockheed Martin Corporation v. United States (D.D.C.).
• Representing energy and chemical manufacturing clients in enforcement actions alleging violations of the Clean Air Act’s New Source Review program, the New Source Performance Standards, and the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. Most recently, Ms. Fletcher was counsel representing Tesoro Corporation in a company-wide federal enforcement action alleging violations at six of the company’s seven refineries. In crafting the settlement for this enforcement action, the parties developed several initiative measures under EPA’s Next Generation program. EPA promoted the innovative aspects of the settlement in its annual report and listed Tesoro as its third most important enforcement matter in 2016, following the Volkswagen diesel settlement and BP Deepwater Horizon.
• Defended refiner in federal enforcement action alleging violations of the Title II regulations governing fuel quality. United States v. Tesoro Corporation (D.D.C.). In lieu of responding to defendant’s motion to dismiss, the government dropped over one-half of its claims. The matter later settled on favorable terms.
• Counsel for Fortune 500 company and its subsidiaries in three four separate hazardous waste and/or Clean Air Act federal enforcement matters relating to chemical manufacturing and hazardous waste management.
• Defended rocket motor manufacturing company in state court toxic tort litigation alleging personal injuries and medical monitoring damages for alleged groundwater contamination. This case was brought by Tom Girardi (the famed plaintiffs’ counsel featured in the movie “Erin Brockovich”). After securing a pivotal ruling from the San Bernardino Superior Court excluding key expert witnesses for the plaintiffs, the court dismissed all claims raised by the bellwether plaintiffs. Stacie handled key experts on the source of the groundwater contamination and the standard of care for waste disposal practices.
• Representing trade association of automobile manufacturers challenging state regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. Green Mountain Chrysler Jeep v. Crombie; Central Valley Chrysler Jeep v. Goldstene; and Association of International Automobile Manufacturers v. Sullivan.

Stacie received her law degree from the University of Virginia, where she was Executive Editor of the Virginia Law Review. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College.

Stacie is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia.