Stuart L. Spencer

Stuart Spencer focuses his practice on environmental, energy, and natural resources issues. His wealth of environmental and regulatory experience was gained from having served in various legal and managerial positions at the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for roughly 10 years. At DEQ, Stuart served as the Office of Air Quality (OAQ) Associate Director. In his role as OAQ Associate Director, he was the senior manager of major Clean Air Act programs including implementation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Title V and New Source Review permitting, the Clean Power Plan and its successor, the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, and Regional Haze. He also served as DEQ's Legal Policy Advisor and as General Counsel and served as an attorney in DEQ’s Office of Law and Policy. He applies his broad experience as an environmental regulator to advise industry clients on a wide range of complex legal issues.

Experience

• Represents clients in permitting issues and disputes, enforcement proceedings, and regulatory appeals before state and federal regulatory agencies.
• Advises clients in various industry sectors, including electric generating units, steel mills, forest and paper products, chemical plants, and oil and gas production, regarding environmental permit applications and processes.
• Advises clients on federal Clean Air Act issues and associated regulations.
• Assists clients in advancing environmental policies and interests with state and federal environmental agencies.
• Advises clients on Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission (APC&EC) rules and regulations addressing air quality control and permitting requirements and compliance.
• Advises on the federal and state Asbestos regulations.
• Frequent speaker at industry and trade meetings on federal Clean Air Act issues.
• Attended the White House event “Cut the Red Tape: Eliminating Excessive Regulation to Create Jobs and Growth” as an invited guest on October 2, 2017.
• Testified before the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the United States House of Representatives on the topic of “New Source Review Permitting Challenges for Manufacturing and Infrastructure” on February 14, 2018.

Education

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law J.D. (1999)
• Harding University B.A., Political Science (1996)

Involvement

• Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Environment, Energy and Resources Section
  • Member, Air Quality Committee
  • Co-Vice Chair of the Articles Committee, Air Quality Committee
• Member, Arkansas Bar Association
• Member, New York Bar Association
• Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies
  • Past President (2019)
  • President (2018)
  • Vice President (2017)
• Volunteer, Arkansas Food Bank
• Volunteer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas

News & Articles

Firm News

• Mitchell Williams Attorney Stuart Spencer Presented at the Arkansas Environmental Federation's 52nd Annual Convention - Discussed Recycling Trends
• Mitchell Williams Announces David Biscoe Bingham and Stuart Spencer Join Firm in Little Rock

Articles

• Regional Haze/Utah: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Announces Approval of Revisions to State Implementation Plan
• Coal Combustion Residuals: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Approves Georgia Program
• Intervention Status Update: Sierra Club Challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Approval of Arkansas Haze Plan
• Case Update: Sierra Club Challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Approval of Arkansas Haze Plan
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Needs to Improve Emergency Planning Resources During Future Disasters: Office of Inspector General Report
• El Dorado, Arkansas Hazardous Waste Injection Wells: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency RCRA Land Disposal Restriction Exemption Reissuance
• Interstate Ozone/Environmental Groups Citizen Suit Notice to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Arkansas Is One of Twenty States Targeted
• Volkswagen Settlement Updates: Deadline Extended for SAFER and Clean Fuels Programs
• Asbestos Abatement (Regulation 21): Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality Begins Rule Revision Process
• U.S. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions Rose In 2018: Energy Information Administration Report
• Particulate Matter (PM) Standards: Scientific Advisory Committee Rejects Draft U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Staff Proposal to Tighten Annual Fine PM Limit
• Volkswagen Settlement Updates: Arkansas's Revised Mitigation Plan and Program Deadlines
• Ozone/Clean Air Act: EPA Staff Proposal Retains Current Primary and Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• 2019 National Regional Haze Meeting: Participants Meet In St. Louis
• Affordable Clean Energy Rule: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment/Division of Environmental Quality Holds First Stakeholder Meeting
• Implementation of White House Executive Orders Addressing Guidance: EPA forms Workgroups

Publications