Mr. Basofin works to advance clean energy policies in Oregon, including implementation of HB 2021, the state’s groundbreaking clean energy law. Mr. Basofin also works in coalitions to identify clean energy pathways for industry, seek consensus on siting and permitting of renewable energy facilities, and extend the benefits of our clean energy transition to rural parts of Oregon. He has held many roles in the environmental field. He began his career working in conservation with a focus on freshwater fisheries, marine protected areas, deserts, and wetlands. He spent several years as a sustainability advisor for businesses. Mr. Basofin also served as the first Director of Climate Action for Parliament of the World’s Religions, the oldest interfaith organization in the United States. He is particularly interested in the intersections within the environmental movement where coalitions of advocates, businesses, faiths, and communities can be created. Mr. Basofin holds a B.A. degree in English and Environmental Studies and a J.D. degree with a concentration in Environmental Law.

Mr. Pepple has practiced in both vertically integrated and deregulated electric markets, which gives him a unique perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of both. His practice consists of a mixture of administrative and appellate litigation, transactional work, and government affairs. Mr. Pepple represents clients before state utility commissions in all manner of proceedings, including rate cases and complex legal and policy dockets involving issues such as customer choice, integrated resource planning, and renewable portfolio standards compliance. When these matters are reviewed by the courts, he represents clients in appellate proceedings. Mr. Pepple also advises clients on matters subject to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s jurisdiction. He has handled transactions for the development of solar generation facilities and the sale of their output, asset purchase agreements for transmission and other electric facilities, and other transactional matters. Mr. Pepple provides general counsel services for customer-owned utilities. He advises businesses and wholesale customers with respect to the Bonneville Power Administration’s Regional Dialogue Contract. He also provides legislative services, including legal review of energy-related bills and testifying before legislative committees. Mr. Pepple is an active member of the Oregon and Washington State bars.

Since joining GEI in the fall of 2020, Ms. Sahler has focused on regulatory proceedings at the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Participating in a variety of dockets, on both the gas and electric side, she works to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, implement equitable decarbonization measures, and encourage a transparent and open process for new participants. Ms. Sahler also develops and vets policy options for Oregon local governments. She regularly speaks on implementation of Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, Oregon’s 100% Clean Energy for All (HB 2021), utility planning and investments, and local government decarbonization pathways. Ms. Sahler brought to GEI her extensive research and writing experience, from her dozen years as a career law clerk at the U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, as well as from advising clients in a private law firm setting in the areas of municipal and environmental law. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, where she concentrated her coursework in environmental and natural resources law. She earned her B.A. degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Mr. Sanger’s legal and consulting practice focuses on energy, administrative, and public utility law. He represents energy trade associations, municipalities, electric cooperatives, irrigation districts, end-use industrial and commercial consumers, investor owned natural gas and water utilities, and renewable and cogeneration electricity producers. Mr. Sanger advises hydro, biomass, geothermal, wind, solar, cogeneration, and other electricity generators on a wide variety of transactional matters, including negotiating power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, wholesale power sales, resource development and sales, and other matters. He has a lengthy background representing end[1]use industrial, commercial, and irrigation customers in all facets of retail rates and service quality. Mr. Sanger represents clients in energy and utility matters before state and federal courts, state public utility commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mr. Sanger is also an adjunct instructor at Lewis and Clark Law School, and in Portland Community College’s Paralegal Program. Mr. Sanger graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 2000 with cum laude honors and an Environmental Law Certificate, and from World College Institute of New College of California in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in the Humanities with an emphasis in International Environmental Studies.

Mr. Stephenson helps clients navigate all facets of land use law and obtain entitlements and permit approvals for a wide variety of development projects in urban and rural settings. As a former urban planner, he has a valuable perspective on local government decision making and a practical understanding of project management and delivery. Mr. Stephenson’s experience includes single- and multi-family residential projects, affordable housing, assisted living, office and retail, industrial, energy facilities, and natural resource projects. He is skilled in all phases of land use matters, including planning and executing a permitting strategy, representing clients before local decision-makers, working with neighbors and other stakeholders, and negotiating public improvements and private property takings. His natural resource and energy practice focuses on project planning, risk reduction, and permitting. Mr. Stephenson has substantial experience in electrical transmission and other multi-jurisdictional development projects, including experience with the State Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) Site Certificate process and associated state regulatory requirements. He also has considerable recent experience in land use permitting of a large and complex mineral development project. Mr. Stephenson earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School.

Ms. Villanueva’s practice focuses on Energy Law. She counsels clients on a variety of administrative and regulatory matters, including Bonneville Power Administration proceedings, the PURPA, transmission access, as well as contract, tariff and rate issues. She has particular experience assisting independent power producers with power purchase, interconnection and transmission agreements. Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Villanueva worked as an associate attorney representing investor-owned utilities and customers of investor-owned utilities as well as consumer and municipal electric utilities. She is well versed in state and federal practice before the FERC, OPUC and the WUTC. Ms. Villanueva is a member of the Oregon State Bar and the Chair of the past chair of the Oregon State Energy, Telecom and Utility Law Section.