Sponsor
Maxwell Frost
Representative · D-FL
Representative · D-FL
The bill formalizes youth participation and mainstreams an equity-focused definition of environmental justice with modest, predictable agency funding—improving targeting and engagement for disadvantaged communities—but creates new administrative costs, procedural requirements, and potential gaps for communities not captured by the designated screening tools.
Disadvantaged communities (low-income and racial/ethnic minority neighborhoods) will be explicitly identified using Justice40 and CEQ screening tools, making it easier for agencies to target programs and resources to areas historically burdened by pollution.
Federal agencies are required to apply a defined concept of “environmental justice” (just treatment and meaningful involvement across protected characteristics), increasing the likelihood that agency decisions consider equity and health impacts for protected groups.
Youth—especially from disadvantaged communities—gain formal channels to influence federal environmental policy through Youth Advisory Councils and a designated federal officer, increasing civic engagement and giving young people a platform to shape agency actions.
Tying the definition of disadvantaged communities to specific federal screening tools (Justice40/CEQ) could exclude communities that those tools do not capture, delaying or denying assistance to some low-income or minority neighborhoods.
Requiring environmental-justice considerations in agency decisions may add procedural steps that slow permitting and project timelines, potentially increasing costs or delaying economic activity affecting taxpayers and small business owners.
Creating and staffing Youth Advisory Councils and designated federal officer roles imposes administrative costs and recurring budgetary obligations (about $6.25M per year across agencies as authorized), which will be borne by taxpayers or require diverting funds from other programs.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires youth advisory councils at five agencies to advise on climate and environmental justice and authorizes $250,000 per agency annually for FY2027–2037.
Official title: To establish youth advisory councils for the purpose of providing recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Commerce with respect to environmental issues as those issues relate to youth communities, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 20, 2026 by Maxwell Frost · Last progress April 20, 2026
Creates Youth Advisory Councils at five federal agencies (EPA, Interior, Energy, Agriculture, Commerce) to advise on climate, environmental justice, resilience, pollution reduction, and measures affecting youth — especially youth from disadvantaged communities. Each council will be 15–25 nonfederal members ages 16–29, must prioritize geographic and demographic diversity, meet publicly at least once a year, produce annual reports, and receive agency support. Authorizes $250,000 per year for each of the five agencies for fiscal years 2027–2037 to implement and support the councils, and exempts these councils from a FACA provision (5 U.S.C. 1013). EPA may use its existing youth council to comply.