Matt focuses his practice on project development and management of state and local taxes for large energy and industrial facilities. In the energy arena, Matt represents developers and owners of utility-scale renewable projects (wind, solar, and hydro), interstate submarine and terrestrial electric transmission lines, large-scale energy storage projects, interstate natural gas pipelines, nuclear power plants, and fossil fuel generating facilities (natural gas, oil, and coal). He also advises owners, lenders and investors on M&A transactions, financings, and equity investments involving large energy and industrial projects.
Matt’s success in representing clients has grown out of applying business solutions to project development challenges and historically litigated tax problems. His experience, industry knowledge, and creative approach help clients overcome significant barriers to construction and operation of large, capital-intensive projects. He helps developers and owners of such facilities create long-term property tax and sales tax certainty by negotiating agreements, such as payment in lieu of tax (PILOT) agreements, and maximizing state and local economic incentives and exemptions. Matt also coordinates with the firm’s real property tax litigation team on strategy and valuation matters to promote settlement of assessment disputes.
In addition to tax management, Matt supports project development clients on a wide array of development agreements, including host community, EPC, BOP, road use, permit compliance, water and sewer use, and grant agreements.
In addition to his practice at Barclay Damon, Matt serves as the town justice for the Town of Marcellus, New York.