FERC Pipeline Policy Expert Mattei Brings Regulatory Experience to IEEFA

Suzanne Mattei, an attorney with over 30 years of public interest law experience, has analysed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's policies on interstate pipeline approvals and conducted research on blue hydrogen, petrochemical projects, and fossil fuel extraction on public lands. Her regulatory background spans state environmental enforcement, city government oversight, and federal policy analysis.

Mattei served as a former regional director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, overseeing permitting and enforcement in New York City for a population of approximately 8 million people. In city government oversight roles, her analysis helped prevent the sale of New York City's drinking water supply system to a state-run authority and blocked an ill-advised garbage incinerator construction plan. She holds a juris doctor degree from Yale University and is admitted to practice law in New York.

Her investigation on behalf of the Sierra Club exposed the federal government's failure to adequately address pollution exposure from the September 11 World Trade Center disaster. Her subsequent testimony to the U.S. Congress contributed to legislation aiding first responders and survivors. This record of public interest litigation and regulatory oversight positions her as a significant contributor to IEEFA's work on the legal and regulatory dimensions of energy infrastructure approvals.

Mattei's focus on FERC's interstate pipeline approval policies is directly relevant to ongoing debates about the expansion of natural gas infrastructure in the United States, a critical issue for investors assessing stranded asset risks. Her research on blue hydrogen also intersects with growing scrutiny of whether hydrogen produced from fossil fuels with carbon capture can credibly serve as a decarbonisation pathway, an area of active policy and financial analysis at IEEFA.

Key figure — 30+ years — Suzanne Mattei's experience in public interest law and environmental regulatory oversight