Matthew manages technical assistance with cities through the American Cities Climate Challenge and City Renewables Accelerator, helping cities across the United States procure clean energy and work with their utilities to meet ambitious climate and energy goals. Matthew also leads multiple projects, from the development of the Federal Funding Opportunities for Local Decarbonization (FFOLD) tool to ongoing research on unconventional renewable energy and land use—specifically solar on closed landfills, brownfields, and parking facilities.
Prior to RMI, Matthew worked at Sustainable Strategies DC, where he helped smaller cities and towns secure $10+ million in funding for sustainable community revitalization, transportation, and infrastructure priorities. He also provided technical assistance on brightfields redevelopment, leveraging public and private resources, and advocacy to state and federal agencies. He also worked at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Maryland Energy Administration. Matthew’s collaboration with cities began in College Park, Maryland, working on transportation planning, public safety, sustainability, and emissions reduction initiatives with the City of College Park and University of Maryland.
MPP, Specialization in Energy and Environmental Policy, University of Maryland School of Public Policy
BA, Government and Politics, University of Maryland, College Park
Washington, D.C.
In 1937, a landfill was built in the majority Black Houston neighborhood of Sunnyside. The residents of that community have been paying the price ever since. From “flies, roaches, rats, and smells” to the death of an 11-year old boy, the Sunnyside landfill has negatively impacted the quality…
Closed landfills offer an incredible opportunity to accelerate local solar energy, revitalize underutilized sites, and reinvest in communities.
In the United States, while all eyes have been on the bipartisan infrastructure package and reconciliation bill, local leaders should not lose sight of the funding that already exists to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. To be fair, the promise of new federal programs to support a…
Last week, the City of Chicago took a major step toward realizing its commitment to power city operations entirely with renewable energy by 2025. The City released a request for proposals (RFP) intended to facilitate the purchase of almost 1 terawatt-hour (TWh) of renewable electricity annually. In the absence…
The report recommends five strategies that Congress could use to direct stimulus investment toward helping cities recover and build back better from the dual challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.