This legislation establishes Youth Advisory Councils within the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce. Each agency head is required to create a council to provide recommendations on environmental issues as they relate to youth communities. These recommendations will cover programs for disadvantaged communities, performance measures for climate impact, and research on environmental justice, climate change mitigation, and pollution reduction. The councils will comprise 15 to 25 members, aged 16 to 29, serving two-year terms. Membership must ensure geographic diversity and varied backgrounds, with a critical provision that at least 50 percent of members originate from or primarily work in disadvantaged communities . Agencies are also directed to consider diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility during member selection. Councils are required to meet at least annually, with public access to meetings, and must submit annual reports detailing their recommendations to their respective agency heads. Each agency will offer administrative support and an educational curriculum to council members. The bill authorizes an annual appropriation of $250,000 for each of the five agencies from fiscal years 2027 through 2037 to implement these provisions.
This legislation establishes Youth Advisory Councils within the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of the Interior, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce. Each agency head is required to create a council to provide recommendations on environmental issues as they relate to youth communities. These recommendations will cover programs for disadvantaged communities, performance measures for climate impact, and research on environmental justice, climate change mitigation, and pollution reduction. The councils will comprise 15 to 25 members, aged 16 to 29, serving two-year terms. Membership must ensure geographic diversity and varied backgrounds, with a critical provision that at least 50 percent of members originate from or primarily work in disadvantaged communities . Agencies are also directed to consider diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility during member selection. Councils are required to meet at least annually, with public access to meetings, and must submit annual reports detailing their recommendations to their respective agency heads. Each agency will offer administrative support and an educational curriculum to council members. The bill authorizes an annual appropriation of $250,000 for each of the five agencies from fiscal years 2027 through 2037 to implement these provisions.