Sponsor
Maxwell Frost
Representative · D-FL
Representative · D-FL
The bill strengthens environmental-justice focus and formalizes youth participation with modest dedicated funding and improved transparency, but does so at the cost of added administrative complexity, potential exclusion of some communities tied to specific screening tools, modest funding levels, and risks of slower project timelines or reduced oversight.
Low-income and racially/ethnically marginalized communities are explicitly identified using Justice40 and CEQ screening tools, which focuses federal attention and can help target resources to historically burdened areas.
Children and youth — especially those from disadvantaged communities — gain formal channels (Youth Advisory Councils and designated officers) to influence federal environmental and climate policy that affects them.
Rural and urban communities may benefit from agency actions informed by youth recommendations on climate mitigation, resiliency, and pollution reduction, improving policy relevance to local needs.
Low-income and minority communities not captured by the specific federal screening tools could be excluded from the Act's protections and assistance, delaying help for some affected places.
Mandating environmental justice considerations may add procedural requirements that could slow permitting or project timelines and raise costs for developers and taxpayers.
Creating and staffing Youth Advisory Councils and designated federal officer roles imposes administrative costs and staffing burdens on agencies, costs ultimately borne by taxpayers or shifted from other programs.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires youth advisory councils at five federal 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 give 16–29 year‑olds a formal role in advising on climate, environmental justice, resilience, mitigation, and pollution reduction with emphasis on disadvantaged communities. Each council will have 15–25 non‑federal members, diversity requirements, an agency-designated federal officer, regular public meetings, annual reports, and agency administrative support. Authorizes $250,000 per year for each of the five agencies for fiscal years 2027–2037 to carry out the law and allows EPA to use its existing National Environmental Youth Advisory Council to meet the requirement.