This legislation, titled the "Environmental Health Workforce Act of 2026," seeks to address critical shortages and challenges within the environmental health workforce. Congress finds that over 50,600 State and local environmental health jobs have been lost since 2008, representing a 22 percent decrease, with further declines expected due to retirements. Many programs also report insufficient staffing capacity and lack of training, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize educating and training these professionals. To tackle these issues, the bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop model standards and guidelines for credentialing environmental health workers within one year, in coordination with various stakeholders. The Secretary must also provide these standards and technical assistance to State, local, and tribal governments. Furthermore, HHS is required to create a comprehensive environmental health workforce development plan , including performance measures and identification of gaps, to ensure programs meet national needs. The Comptroller General is mandated to examine and report on best practices in training and credentialing environmental health workers across six selected states. Crucially, the bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness to include full-time environmental health workers who are accredited, certified, or licensed, thereby incentivizing careers in this vital field.