Raya Salter

Energy law and policy attorney; Member, NYS Climate Action Council
Policy Organizer for the NY Renews Coalition


Raya Salter is an attorney, consultant, educator and clean energy law and policy expert with a focus on energy and climate justice. Raya is a member of the New York State Climate Action Council, the body that is developing the plan to implement the nation’s leading climate law. She is also the Lead Policy Organizer for the NY Renews Climate Justice Coalition.

Raya is an experienced advocate, having practiced energy law and regulation in multiple jurisdictions, including New York and Hawaii. She has written widely on energy policy, and her book, “Energy Justice, Domestic and International Perspectives” was released by Edward Elgar in 2018.

Ms. Salter is an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law. She serves as an Advisory Board Member for Evergreen Action. Raya is also a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law and co-chair of the Climate Change Energy Transitions Subgroup.

In previous roles, Raya was Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council and a Regulatory Attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund, where she worked to engage utilities, regulators, policy makers, and opinion leaders to foster clean and renewable grid modernization.

Prior to becoming an environmental advocate, Raya worked as a regulatory attorney at the law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf in New York City, representing energy industry participants in matters relating to regulation by state public utility commissions and federal agencies, transactions involving energy assets, participation in organized electric markets and inter and intra-state transmission.

Ms. Salter is published in the field of electricity law and regulation. Her articles have appeared in publications including the Electricity Journal and ElectricityPolicy.com. She has also written white papers for the World Bank and the Galvin Electricity Initiative.

Before becoming a lawyer, Ms. Salter worked in community-based organizations teaching technology to youth and adults and developing summer and after school programming. Ms. Salter has a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a B.A. in economics from Wesleyan University.

Raya Salter has over 20 years of experience as a lawyer and advocate working for the nation’s most prominent firms, environmental and social service organizations.